On Your Marks, Get Set--Spy!
by DaisyDay
Summary: From the very beginning. An alternate spy-verse adventure explaining how Lee and Amanda could have met for the first time. Humor and light romance included!
1. Chapter 1

.

.

SCARECROW AND MRS. KING

.

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET...SPY!

Chapter 1

It was Wednesday again.

Being a member of the 'Friends of the Library", Amanda King always looked forward to her once-a-week volunteer job at the library.

The minute she walked through the door of the Arlington Library, she glanced up at the wall clock and smiled. Ten minutes early, as usual. Putting her purse away, she sat on the high chair behind the main check-out desk, ready to greet and assist anyone who needed help with their books.

She was fairly busy the first two hours since many people preferred to go to the library in the morning hours. She was always pleasant to everyone, whether they were asking a question, checking out books or needing help in finding research articles.

Meanwhile on that same morning, Lee Stetson looked frustrated as he arrived at the entrance of the Arlington Library.

Earlier he had needed extensive help in his research, but Francine was being her usual sarcastic, busy-with-other-stuff self. At the same time, over in research, Tricia, Kimberly and Monica were also ignoring his requests for help because...well, let's just say that going out on dates with each of them didn't quite work out as _each of them_ had expected.

He pushed the door to the entrance of the library building and immediately noted the wall-to-wall books. It was like stepping into a world of knowledge.

Surely he would be able to find his answers here!

But where to begin?

He would need help.

As he walked towards the checkout desk, he glanced over at the slim brunette sitting behind the counter. Although somewhat attractive, he knew immediately she was not his type whatsoever. She had that wholesome All-American look about her. But still, she seemed pleasant enough and could probably help him.

Stamping a due date in a book, Amanda handed the book back to the last person in line when she looked up and spotted a tall man with a briefcase approaching her.

He appeared as though he had stepped out of the pages of GQ. Normally she wouldn't take notice of a man's attractiveness, but this man, with his perfectly layered hair, double-breasted suit and handsome features definitely stood out. The only thing that seemed out of place was his guarded look.

He looked about until he stopped in front of her. Amanda greeted him with her usual smile.

"Hello," she cheerfully welcomed him, "Do you need help with something?"

Her twinkling eyes and bright smile seemed to light up the entire room, causing a visceral reaction from Lee. But this was not a pick-up bar and again, he wasn't interested, anyway.

Nothing would distract him from his goal.

"Hi, and yes, I hope you _can_ help me," he stated as he placed his briefcase on the ground, "I need help with a particular piece of jewelry."

She quirked a brow, "You understand that this is a library and not a jewelry store, don't you?"

He knew to take her question lightly, "I apologize for not making myself clear. I am doing research on a particular antique bracelet. I need to find out its history and value. The piece appears centuries old. I was hoping you might be able to help me since I've always found the Dewey Decimal System a bit overwhelming."

Dimples appeared outside his upturned mouth as he gave her his most charming smile. Amanda actually felt a tingling sensation go down her spine. And that voice! Confident and slightly husky.

 _Stop noticing him that way!_ she reprimanded herself, _this man came here to seek help!_

"No problem, Sir, I'll be happy to assist you," she volunteered.

When another library volunteer, college-aged Lucy walked by, Amanda asked her to watch the desk. As Lucy glanced over at Lee, understanding struck her and a playful smirk appeared on her face.

"Sure, Amanda, go do your stuff with _this_ patron," she teasingly told Amanda.

Amanda shot her co-worker a warning look before she got up and led Lee to a particular wall of books, located towards the back of the library.

"You could probably find your answer somewhere in this section here," she explained, gesturing, "it's a section on ancient civilizations. If the piece of jewelry is as old as you claim, we should be able to find the answer here by comparing it to pictures of similar pieces of that era."

"Great, so how do we begin?"

"I first need to know what the piece looks like," Amanda glanced over at his case, "Do you mean to tell me that you actually brought the piece with you in that briefcase?"

"Not quite," he stated, "I have a photo of the bracelet to show you instead. But first let me first introduce myself. My name is Lee."

"And I'm Amanda," she introduced herself as she stuck out her hand.

As Lee clasped her hand to shake it, a strange thrill buzzed through his body, making him slightly scowl at his reaction. When their hands were released, the sensation immediately disappeared.

 _What just happened?_

"Lee, are you alright?"

Amanda was concernedly watching him.

 _Must stay on task!_

"Yes, I'm, uh, just fine," he recovered, "Guess I was feeling overwhelmed by all this wealth of knowledge."

He placed his briefcase at a nearby table and opened it. Scrounging through papers, Lee found what he was looking for and handed her a glossy 8 x 10 picture.

"I'm no expert, but that bracelet looks Grecian," Lee stated as Amanda stepped closer to him to look at the photo. The bracelet did indeed seem Grecian in origin with its panels of intricately maze-patterned gold inlaid, with what appeared to be emeralds.

She was so close to him now that Lee caught the faint scent of flowers and vanilla surrounding her. The scent was clean, yet intoxicating.

 _Stay on the mission..._

"The bracelet's lovely," Amanda noted, and then asked, "but why do you need to know the value of this?"

Lee hadn't realized he would need a cover for a simple visit to library. There was no way he was going to tell her he was here on Agency business.

Luckily, he could think fast on his feet.

"I work for an insurance company and we plan to cover this piece of jewelry, which is why I need more information so that I will be able to appraise its value."

"Are you sure this bracelet's authentic?" Amanda asked him, "it's hard to tell from one photograph. For all you know, it may have the words 'made in China' stamped on its insides."

The side of Lee's mouth twitched, as he tried to hide his amusement.

"Believe me, _'made in China'_ is nowhere plastered on this piece. It's the real deal."

"If you say so, but...if you don't mind me asking," Amanda began, intent on being diplomatic, "...don't insurance companies already _have_ special people, whose _only_ job is to evaluate and appraise clients' possessions?"

 _Grrrrr. This was harder than he expected. Yet, he liked someone who intellectually challenged him._

He gave an awkward laugh to help give himself more time, "Yes, well, it's a bit complicated. Let's just say there's some client confidentiality involved. However, I assure you that we do have a professional appraiser on our premise who is also working on putting a value this piece," he then leaned in closer, causing Amanda's heart to palpitate a bit, " _however, I am here because I feel I need to do my own due diligence, if you get my drift."_

Amanda milled over this answer.

"I see," she acknowledged, "You're trying to see if your own insurance company's appraisal is as accurate as your own. Did I get that right?"

"Precisely," he nodded, pleased, "so could you direct me to the appropriate books?"

"Of course," Amanda stated as she turned to view the shelved books. There seemed to be a million books in front of her. She then turned back around to face him again, "however, just to warn you, there may be a lot of potential books we may have to look through. This could take 20 minutes...or it could take half a day. Do you have a deadline?"

He gave that smile that made her feel heady.

"I'm in your hands, Amanda."

 _She almost melted into a puddle._

*Ahem* Amanda cleared her throat, hoping he hadn't noticed her reddened cheeks, "Do you have any other additional information on this bracelet to help me narrow down my search?"

"No, sorry, I only have this one picture. This bracelet is part of a collection the owner bought at an estate sale. Some of the estate pieces came with paperwork, but unfortunately, this one did not."

"Okay, at least I know what I have to work with," she nodded as she turned around to again face the wall of books and became all businesslike again.

She searched the section and then shifted over to the next area. At last she paused when she zeroed in on the appropriate section. During this time, Amanda was constantly moving and talking, explaining her thought processes.

"...we need to find a book that would show old jewelries of similar designs...and this book here," she explained as she removed it from the shelf, "... is on European jewelry designs and their histories; that's a possibility...and here's a book on jewelry of Greece..." she stated, quickly reading different titles on the spines of the books, "...here's an illustrated book of Greek antiques...oh! here's one on regional European adornments..."

Lee followed her as he, too, was looking through the shelves.

"Welllll, _this_ is interesting..." he announced as he stopped to read the book spines.

Amanda halted what she was doing, "What's that? You found something on Grecian bracelets?"

"Not quite. It's a book on fashionable _cats,_ believe it or not, and oh look! here's one on the fashion influence of _potatoes,_ " he jested, "I don't have any doubt that these are real page turners...I bet they've been checked out a million times!"

Amanda attempted her best librarian voice as she put her hands on her hips.

"Try to keep on task here, please!" she lightly berated him, but inside she enjoyed that he didn't take everything so seriously.

Lee playfully stood at attention, "Yes, ma'am... no more mention of pets and vegetables, Madam Librarian!"

 _He couldn't believe he was actually enjoying his time in the library! When he was a boy in school, he had likened the place to being in prison._

"Heh," She gave an endearing chuckle, "I'm only a volunteer, so it's _Madam_ _Volunteer_ to you!"

Amanda then continued removing books from the shelves, pilling book after book after book onto Lee's arms until they were stacked ten books thick.

"Ooooof..." Lee grunted as he accepted the last book, his arms feeling heavy from holding the various books.

They walked back to the table where he had left his briefcase. He was glad to unload the many books onto the table.

"I have a question," Amanda announced when they were both seated.

He wryly asked, "Why am I not surprised?"

She ignored his rhetorical question, "If this bracelet here is authentic," she wondered, "then it's going to be worth a lot of money. And if it is, shouldn't it have been insured before now?"

 _Oh boyyyy, she's inquisitively smart!_

 _But being a top agent_ _meant he could think smarter!_

"Good question," he credited her and then explained, "As I had mentioned previously, this is only one of many jewelries collected at the estate by my client. The entire collection is, therefore, covered by a blanket policy while we gather the appropriate appraisals for each individual item."

"I see."

 _She seemed satisfied with the answer. Thank God._

"You must be very good at your job," she commented.

"I'd like to think so, but despite my best efforts, I haven't yet been able to insure the Batmobile. Go figure," Lee claimed with a mischievous smile.

Amanda's laugh was light and pleasant-sounding.

They soon got down to business and started working on finding some answers as to the origin of the bracelet.

"Oooo, Lee, I think I got something here," Amanda announced sometime later as she viewed a book, "Looks like this bracelet could possibly have been made during the Hellenistic Period, when Alexander conquered Persia. Take a look at this similar looking piece of jewelry pictured here."

She handed the book over to him. As he leaned close to her, he again noted her fresh scent.

He scanned the picture and looked up at her, his eyes grateful, "Good find! The bracelet in this book is a mirror image of my client's bracelet!"

Amanda had to look away or she would get lost in his eyes. Instead, she pulled out another book.

"I think there's another book here that may go more into detail about the Hellenistic Period," she suggested, her cheeks feeling warm.

Just then, they heard footsteps approaching and library volunteer Lucy appeared.

"Excuse me, Amanda," Lucy said, looking hesitant to be interrupting, "but you have a phone call." She then cupped her hand near Amanda's ear to whisper, _"It's Dean!"_

The name brought Amanda's life back to reality. Dean was probably back in town and here she was, blushing because of another man!

"Oh!" she reacted, trying not to look guilty, "I'll take the call. Thanks Lucy."

Lucy acknowledged and then walked away.

Amanda's eyes turned ruefully at Lee, "Will you excuse me, Lee?"

Lee hid his disappointment.

"Of course, Amanda," he nodded, as he respectfully stood when she did too, " And don't worry. I think I can get through these books without having an urge to rip any of the pages out!"

She smiled.

"See that you don't," she jestingly warned him, then her expression became solemn, "Now, I know there's a lot of books here, but just take each book one at a time...After all, you know what they say about trying to read through a lot of books at the same time..."

Lee's curiosity was piqued, "No, can't say I've heard that one."

The corner of Amanda's mouth turned upward, "When one book closes, another one opens!"

He laughed.

Then he scrupulously watched her backside as she walked away.

 _Intriguing,_ he internalized, _Very intriguing._

 _But, still, not his type..._ he reminded himself as he reached for another book.

.

Amanda entered the private library office in order to take the call. Before she picked up the phone, however, she had to momentarily take a calming breath to allow her heartbeat to return to normal. At last she pushed the blinking call-waiting button.

 _Of course it was Dean. And yes, he was asking her out for dinner tonight. And no surprise here, it would be at the same restaurant they always went to. He'll probably end up ordering his usual drink and meal . Their conversation will be about work and books and at the end, Dean will tip exactly 15%, not a penny more or less. Rinse and repeat._

Amanda hung up, anxious to get back to researching the bracelet.

However, as she crossed the main area of the library, she was soon stopped by a law student who wanted information on mandatory minimum sentencing. Though it would take time to find the recommended materials, as always, Amanda was more than happy to oblige.

After the law student's questions were satisfied, Amanda eagerly set off for the table where Lee sat. When she turned the corner, however, her steps slowed as her heart dropped.

The chair Lee had occupied was empty.

She slowly scanned the room, but there was no sign of him.

And the ten books they had been using were carefully collected and placed into a nice, neat pile.

But the briefcase, along with its owner, had disappeared into thin air.

.

.

 _(A/N: Yes, I know the episode "The First Time" was a perfect way to introduce the show and characters. But one thing I never was sure of was when Lee and Amanda felt the attraction for one another. In my story, they felt it immediately!)_

.

 _Please review_


	2. Chapter 2

So Many Questions

Chapter 2

Two weeks later, it was Wednesday once again.

Amanda was out and about the library floor, shelving back books she had collected on the book cart. She enjoyed the task of pushing the cart back and forth down the aisles. It gave her time to be alone with her thoughts.

The only time she gave pause was whenever she passed the table that she and that insurance man, Lee, had previously occupied two Wednesdays ago.

She didn't know why she was still thinking about that short time she had spent with him. He was good looking, to be sure, but she's helped plenty of attractive men do research.

Yet he was the only one she couldn't stop thinking about.

 _Maybe I AM shallow_ , Amanda wondered to herself. _Why else would I be so taken by him?_ Sighing, she determinedly wiped his image from her mind and picked up another book from the shelf, _Anyway, I won't be seeing him again and these books will not shelve themselves! Better get back to work!_

She looked down at the title of the book she was holding and the title made her smile.

 _Run With Your Gun_ was an action adventure book featuring her favorite spy heroine, Agent Veronica La Rue. Amanda had recently switched from reading her usual romantic Victorian romances to stories that took her to exotic places with an female spy, who not only completed daring secret missions, but got her man at the end as well.

She wheeled the cart over to the fictional adventure section. Skimming the call numbers, she found the space she was looking for and shelved the book. She looked up when she heard footsteps. Co-worker Lucy was approaching her.

Amanda shelved another book.

"Amanda," Lucy announced, "there's someone in the office for you."

Amanda made a face, "You mean Claudia?"

Claudia was Amanda and Lucy's boss.

Lucy rolled her eyes, "Thankfully no, but someone else _does_ need your help."

"Alright," Amanda acknowledged, "do you think, Lucy, you could finish shelving these last three books for me?"

"Sure...and Amanda, take your time," Lucy cryptically responded as she wheeled the cart away.

 _What?_ Amanda looked puzzled as she left the aisle and headed towards the office. She opened the door and stopped mid-step.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she found herself staring at the backside of...

Lee!

When he turned around, there was a devilment of sparkle in his eyes, "Hi."

Amanda's mouth went dry and it was as if a wave of heat had rolled over her.

Her legs felt like Jello as she walked up to him. By the time she reached him, her pounding heart had calmed down enough for her to smile and warmly greet him.

"Lee. Hello, Lee."

Lee was again struck by her sincere sweetness; a quality he never found attractive. Until now.

And strangely, his heart was beating erratically at her nearness.

He forced himself to recover, "Good to see you remembered me, Amanda."

 _Remember him?_ Amanda thought, _he seemed to be all she thought about!_

"I'm good with names," she fibbed, "but I'm also glad to see you again."

He seemed please to hear that, "Actually, I had dropped by earlier this week but was informed that you only work on Wednesdays, so I waited another Wednesday to come back here..."

 _Goosebumps went down her back._

 _He had WAITED to see her!_

Amanda lowered her expectations, _Do NOT read too much into this!_

 _Then she realized that Lee was still talking._

"...and the thing is, Amanda, I may need your help again."

 _Oh. A part of her morale wilted._

 _He just needed her help._

"You need my help again," Amanda repeated, to hide her disappointment.

"Yes, I do," he stated and then looked guilty, "but first, I wanted to explain to you why I left so abruptly two weeks ago."

Amanda slowly shook her head, "You don't owe me an explanation. "

"But I feel I do, Amanda. You see, I have been extremely busy this past month completing another mis..." he had almost said 'mission', but caught himself, "uh, _missing_ antiques case involving another client."

"Oh." Amanda then asked, "Was it a fraud case?"

 _Fraud._ How appropriate. "You might say that."

She nodded, "Though I feel bad for the owner, I think it must be rather exciting for you...it's like solving a mystery!" Amanda effused,"I bet it's one of the more interesting aspects of your job at your insurance firm!"

He had forgotten how charmingly diplomatic Amanda could be.

And she looked particularly feminine today, wearing a white silk blouse tucked into a full pink skirt, which emphasized her tiny waist. Funny, he never took notice of that style of combination before (he personally preferred more cleavage or legs), but she really did look stunning.

"You'd be surprised how exciting my work can be, especially when it includes seeking help from a _certain_ librarian," he winked.

A breathless flutter rippled through her at the way he seemed to be flirting with her.

"So, um, you said you needed my help again," Amanda stated, trying to stay businesslike.

"Riiiight," Lee needed to stay on track, "Now that I've completed that uh, missing item mystery, I need to do more research on several more antique pieces from that estate sale we previously worked on..."

Amanda was blissfully listening to his explanation, when suddenly an image of Dean flashed in her mind, and her enthusiasm dampened.

Meanwhile Lee continued on, but Amanda was now feeling guilty about Dean; she was dating Dean!

"...and I have this photograph of this great Oriental urn," Lee enthused, "I bet it could be traced back to the Ming Dynasty..."

"...I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!" Amanda suddenly blurted out and instantly regretted it.

Lee stopped mid-sentence and looked utterly confused, " _WHAT_?"

His shocked look made Amanda realize that perhaps she had misinterpreted his attraction to her; that he actually held no interest for her at all.

"Sorry," She blushed, "I don't know why I said that. I'm so embarrassed!"

 _Lee hated the awkwardness of the situation. He was used to women falling over for him, but this was different; SHE was different._

 _He should know- he had done some research on Amanda King since meeting her. And she was exactly the kind of person he imagined her to be... a suburban housewife who lived with her mother and two boys in a Norman Rockwell-type setting. Of course, she didn't know he knew._

"Why would you feel embarrassed?" he casually asked, "I think it was a perfectly correct response to my question."

Amanda now looked confused, "Your question?"

"Yes," he confidently stated, "I had just asked the question: 'Which statement is grammatically correct _: I_ _ **has**_ _a boyfriend or I_ _ **have**_ _a boyfriend'?_ Obviously you knew the correct answer. _"_

Her eyes were grateful, " _Thank you for that, Lee._ "

Lee smiled back.

He liked being her hero, even if it was for a very small matter.

 _He had no way of knowing that this protective feeling towards her would run throughout their entire partnershi_ p.

It was at that moment the office door flung opened and Amanda's boss, Claudia angrily strode in. She was only five years older than Amanda, but could almost pass for Amanda's mother, with her conservative suits and hair always tied into a severe bun.

And she did not look happy as she shot a disapproving look at Lee, and then her eyes blazed at Amanda.

"Amanda," Claudia's clipped voice sounded as if she were lecturing her, "Although you are here as a _volunteer_ , this is _still_ an official government institution and I'd wish you'd treat it that way! You should NOT be bringing your boyfriend here to have a personal relationship in the office!"

"A p-personal relationship?" Amanda looked incredulous.

Lee stepped in, "Now, hold it right there, Lady..."

 _But Amanda had had enough of Claudia. This wasn't the first time Claudia had been rude to her in front of others. Sometimes she felt like a doormat to her boss. But not this time!_

"No, let me handle this, Lee," she stated, for once standing up to her boss, "Claudia, this man is NOT my boyfriend and there is definitely nothing personal happening in this office! He is a patron! Last week I helped him with some research and he came back here, asking for some additional help from me!"

Lee chimed in, "Mrs. King has been nothing but professional in helping me with my research."

Amanda did a double take. _She had never told Lee her last name. She was sure of it!_

Claudia had the decency to blush, "Oh, well, I-"

"-In fact," Lee interrupted as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, "I have been so impressed with how you run your organization, Mrs.-"

Claudia had been eyeing the stack of bills in the opened wallet, "-That's _Miss_ Bentley," she corrected him, "Miss Claudia Bentley."

"Of course, Miss Bentley. I'm Lee Silverstone, and I work for International Federal Insurance. I have been so impressed by the talent of people you've hired, that I'd like to make a small contribution to..." he turned around to look at the poster on the wall of the office, "...to 'The Friends of the Library' fund."

He held out _five_ $100 bills, totaling $500, as Claudia and Amanda watched, wide-eyed.

"Well, well!" Claudia wasted no time in snatching it from his hand, " We at Arlington Library certainly DO thank you for your contribution, Mr. Silverstone!"

"I'm glad to help such a worthy cause," Lee slightly bowed to Claudia.

Claudia was now able to see Lee in a new light. In fact, a handsome, rich and generous patron seemed to _exactly_ fit her criteria for a man.

"You said you needed help with research?" Claudia inquired. Her voice lowered, taking on an almost suggestive quality, "Although Amanda can be quite helpful at times, if you _ever_ needed someone with _more_ expertise to help you, I could certainly be made available to you...I am, after all the _library director_."

Amanda almost choked.

Lee gave a weak smile, "Wellll, um...I'll certainly keep that in mind, Miss Bentley. However, Amanda is already familiar with my situation, and she's done excellent work. Besides, as library director, I'm sure you are irreplaceable in your other duties."

Claudia bragged, "I've certainly been told that!"

He now turned his attention to Amanda, "And of course, Amanda, I realize your research skills are also invaluable, so I'd like to offer you some compensation for your help as well. How does payment of, let's say...a hundred a day sound?"

Amanda looked shocked, "Is that in American _dollars?"_

Lee laughed, "Yes. Definitely. So what do you say?"

He couldn't believe he was holding his breath.

Amanda couldn't believe her good fortune.

"That would be great!" she gushed.

Lee breathed out and then turned to Claudia, "And I hope, Miss Bentley, that we have your approval to use your _fine_ library for my research."

"Of course, of course! And please call me _Claudia!_ " she readily stated as she held tightly to the pile of one hundred dollar bills in her hand.

"It's settled then and call me Lee." He looked pleased and then asked, "so Amanda, will you be available at 9 tomorrow morning?"

"Tomorrow morning at 9," she confirmed.

And then as quickly as he walked into her life, Lee walked out of it. Again.

Amanda was still trying to take it all in. _Tomorrow she'll be working side by side with an interesting, attractive man, doing what she loved to do, AND she would get paid for it!_

But as she left the office to finish shelving the books, something else was nagging at her thoughts.

It was as if Lee Silverstone was TOO good to be true.

.

Late evening, the dinner was finished at Amanda's house. The boys were upstairs getting ready for bed while Dotty washed and Amanda rinsed the dishes.

Amanda had just finished telling Dotty her new temporary, _paid_ assignment at the library.

Dotty wasn't totally convince, "What do you even know about this Mr. Silverstone?" she suspiciously asked, as she washed a plate and handed it to Amanda, "I mean, he could be a robber, for all we know!"

"A robber who GIVES money to people? Isn't that the direct _opposite_ of what a robber does?"

" _Still,_ that doesn't mean he _isn't_ one, Dear," Dotty pointedly stated, as she washed another plate and handed it to Amanda to be rinsed, "It just sounds...too...easy. I'm not sure he's to be trusted."

Amanda rinsed a cup and put it on the drying rack, "Don't worry, Mother. We'll only be working at the library, so we'll be in the public's eye at _all_ times."

"Oh, I suppose that'll be fine, then!" Dotty decided and switched topics, "Just out of curiosity, Amanda, what does this Lee Silverstone person look like? Is he even good-looking?"

Amanda tried to keep a straight-face, "He's, uh... _decent looking_. Why?"

Dotty stopped washing in order to face her daughter.

"I only ask you that because... lately, Amanda, you've barely show any interest in Dean at all!"

 _Not again._

"It's just been hard to fit Dean into my schedule is all." Amanda began furiously drying the dishes on the rack, "And...and...me being busy _doesn't_ mean I'm interested in someone else!"

"Well, I personally think you need to find out if your mystery man is married or not! Did you ever do that?"

"Mo- _ther_! I am NOT going to ask a man I barely know such a personal question!"

"Amanda, you don't even have to ask him! Just look at his ring finger!"

"That idea never entered my mind, and I don't plan to that in the future! Mother, I'm just happy to be doing something different...it's very new and exciting for me!"

Dotty rolled her eyes, "So _that's_ it!"

"What's it, Mother?"

"Isn't it obvious? Ever since you started reading that spy series with that Vanessa La Rue, you've been acting different!"

"That's _Veronica_ La Rue, and how am I acting different?"

"Like you're wanting to experience a grand, exotic adventure, when in reality, your life consists of raising two great boys in the suburbs!"

Amanda couldn't deny it.

"Don't you ever want that, Mother?"

"Want what, Dear?"

"Don't you ever want to do something... _daring_ in your life?"

As Amanda spoke, she wistfully looked out the kitchen window when something caught her eye.

She squinted when she thought she saw a shadow move outside, but then there was nothing, so she continued with her thought, "I mean, I love you and the boys...but...sometimes I think there's more excitement out there for me to experience!"

"Well, If _**I**_ ever needed to feel more excitement, I'd just go play Bingo with the girls!" Dotty concluded as she promptly hung up her apron, "which is what I'll be doing tomorrow so I better get to bed early. You coming up, Dear?"

"Soon, Mother."

"Alright. Good night, Darling." She gave Amanda a peck on the cheek and headed upstairs.

Alone in the kitchen, Amanda hung up the drying towel. It has been quite a day. She was about to leave when she heard something like shuffled paper. She looked towards the bottom of the back door in time to see a white envelope being slipped underneath it.

 _What is this?_ She wondered as she bent down and scooped up the envelope.

When she opened the flap, she took out a crisp one hundred dollar bill, along with a small note:

 _Payment in advance, so bring your 'A' game._

 _"A" for Amanda._

 _See you tomorrow._

Amanda smiled to herself, as she clasped the note and envelope to her chest.

Lee.

 _Okay, so maybe he wasn't interested in her, but maybe he could be the catalyst for the excitement she needed in her life_ , she determined, _And would that be so bad?_

Convinced she had done the right thing by accepting his offer to help do research, she headed upstairs.

She couldn't wait to find out what tomorrow would bring.

.

.

 _Please review_


	3. Chapter 3

Sharing Information

Chapter 3

It was Thursday morning.

As Lee was putting his tie on in the mirror he was looking forward for the day to begin. Just seeing Amanda's cheery face and bright personality made his boring research stuff seem almost like...fun. He was also quite impressed with how she stood up to her boss. Amanda King definitely had backbone.

And a backbone, along with a wishbone, is basically all you need in life.

.

As Lee drove to the library, his anticipation was high. He told himself it was because he was anxious to finish his research, but it would also be nice to be with someone who didn't use him or want something from him.

Down deep he knew Amanda was attracted to him; he saw all the signs. But he was all about completing the mission. For him, there would be no attachments, it was nothing personal. He would just play it smart and make sure not to lead her on; especially since she wasn't his type.

 _Now, why do I have to keep reminding myself that she's not my type?_ he wondered.

.

It was only when he saw her again that he remembered what an effect she had on him.

"Hello, Lee," she had greeted him behind the counter, looking lovely in a beige-gray dress slacks, with a darker colored vest and silk blouse. He also liked how her mouth always curved into a perfectly-formed smile, "Would you like some coffee before we get started?"

"That would be great!" he stated, always glad to start the morning with a cup of Joe.

She gestured with her head, "Come back behind the counter and into the break room."

Lee looked hesitant, "Are you it's alright with your boss for me to be in the employee's room? We know what happened the last time when she caught us in the office."

"Ahhh, but that was _before_ your contribution, Lee!" her eyes sparkled, "Now there's _five-hundred_ reasons why you are officially welcomed anywhere in this library!"

"I do love me some privileges!" he chuckled, "Show me the way!"

He followed her into the break room. She poured him a Styrofoam cup of coffee and handed it to him.

"Cream or sugar?" she offered.

"No thanks," Lee stated, took a sip, and then stated, "the last time I had cream in my coffee, I hurt my eye."

Amanda looked worried, "Oh no! Was it the cream or the coffee that affected your eye?"

"Neither," he stated and then broke out in a grin, "I just forgot to take the spoon out of the cup!"

She laughed. It was a great way to start their morning.

.

It was now time to get to work.

Lee had in his possession many photos of various antique items, so they worked for most of the morning researching each item. Their table was soon covered with pictures of antique vases, glasses, statues jewelry, as well as the many books they used as research.

They had an easy rapport as they worked together, growing excited when the other person unearthed a helpful piece of information and 'arguing' over the origin of other antiques.

Amanda found doing the research with Lee challenging and fun. It was truly like solving a great mystery with an item, and then when its history was solved, they would go on to the next mystery.

After three hours, they were spent.

Lee glanced at the wall clock and then stretched his arms, "It's just about lunchtime and I'm ready to call it."

"Yeah, where did the time go?" Amanda stated, hiding the disappointment that their time together had ended.

"I'm starved," Lee announced, "Any recommendations for where I could go for lunch?"

"You can try the coffee shop across the street," she suggested, "they have pretty good sandwiches there."

"Sounds perfect!"

As Lee stood, Amanda figured she should clear all the books from the table before she went home to fix herself a sandwich.

"Uh...Amanda?" Lee asked.

She stopped piling the books, "Yes?"

"You about ready to go?" he asked.

Her head was reeling at his invitation, and she hesitantly asked, " You're asking me to go with you to lunch?"

"Sure, why not?"

In reality, Lee shocked himself at the invitation. Originally he hadn't planned to ask Amanda to lunch. The invitation just flew out of his mouth. Damn mouth. But he didn't regret it. He told himself it would be nice to have company.

She gave him one of her bright smiles; the kind that made his pulse quicken.

"Alright, but it'll be my treat."

"No, that's alright," he politely refused, "I couldn't let you pay."

"I insist!" Amanda was feeling emboldened, "Lee, this is the 80's! Women can pay for men! Besides, I got paid in advance, so you better say 'yes' now because tomorrow that money will have been spent!"

Lee grinned, "If you put it that way, then yes, let's go spend _your_ money!"

.

When they first entered the coffee shop, their senses were immediately assailed with the rich aromas of coffee and baked goods. Lee had that guarded look again as he observed the place. She wished she knew why he always seemed to be cautiously watching a room.

They were immediately shown a table.

"What's good here?" Lee asked her, as he viewed his menu.

"I like to eat light for lunch, so I usually order a salad," Amanda told him.

"Hmmm...I already had a salad last night," he remarked, "so I'll probably order a cheeseburger and fries instead."

One of Amanda's eyebrows shot up, "YOU had a salad for dinner?"

"I did," he claimed, "and what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing's _wrong_ with that, it's just not _you._ " Amanda then asked, "What kind of salad was it?"

"So now you're quizzing me? Alright, I'll tell you. My salad was quite simple, really. It was made with...let's see...tomatoes, cheese, one big flat crouton, and a smattering of meat..."

Amanda looked suspicious, "That's a rather strange description for a salad."

She waited, as if he needed to explain further.

"Okay, you've got me!..." Lee acquiesced at last, "I've just described the _pizza_ I ate last night! _Happy now_?"

They were still both laughing when the waitress came to take their order. She was an attractive blonde, in her mid 30's. She glanced over at Lee and her eyes lit up.

"Hey, I know you!" she pointed her order book in Lee's direction, "You're that astronaut!"

Amanda looked over for Lee's reaction and saw him holding his menu higher, as if to hide his face. She had to bite her lip to keep from smiling.

"Uh, I'm sure you're mistaken, Miss," he awkwardly stated, "I-I was never an astronaut. Nope, not me! Never liked space; too high up and way too dark for me!"

"No, I'm sure that was you I was with!" the waitress insisted, "You don't remember me? I'm Brenda!"

Lee slowly shook his head, "No...no, I don't think-"

"-last November you said you were planning a mission to Mars!" Brenda made another attempt to rack his brains, "...and then you told me that before you blasted off, I needed to do my patriotic duty with you!"

As Lee slouched down, Amanda snorted, and then looked away, pretending to be interested at the picture on the wall.

He awkwardly adjusted his collar, "Uh, it couldn't have been me, although... I DO have a face that gets mistaken for other people all the time...so...can we just place our order please?"

He asked nicely, but Brenda's mouth formed into a tight line at getting the brush off.

"Oh yeah, _sure_ , Bud," she stated disdainfully. She next whipped out her pencil and coolly asked, "What'll you two have?"

Amanda asked, "What's your specialty today?"

Brenda peered over at Amanda, "If I were you, Honey, I'd avoid the _'Pigs_ in a Blanket'. You already have one sitting across from you."

Amanda hid her amusement as they quickly placed an order and the waitress left.

"I have a feeling you're getting the wrong impression of me," Lee commented afterwards.

Amanda looked wide-eyed and innocent, "Why, Lee, I can't imagine what you mean! But you being an astronaut is absolutely believable because you're so _out-of-this-world!_ "

"Very funny!"

But he found himself fighting a grin, too.

 _This lunch was almost too pleasant_ , Lee internalized, _but as long as I'm not piling on compliments, I'm not leading her on, right? Right?_

Lee noticed that Amanda was now staring at his left hand, specifically his ring finger. He knew that tactic. Every woman he ever went out with would eventually do the ring-check thing. He made a big gesture of covering his ring finger with his other hand, thus breaking her focus.

She guiltily looked away at being caught.

Lee would not let her get off so easy.

"Amanda."

She turned back, "Hmmm?"

"In answer to your _stare_ , I have no girlfriend, wife or fiancé, okay?"

She unconsciously readjusted her napkin before looking back at him, "Oh? Were we discussing that?"

"We are now, and here's further proof," he held up his left hand and pointed, "See? No ring tan line, either."

Amanda blushed.

 _Last time she'll listen to Mother!_

Lee then asked her, "What about you, Amanda? Do you have a boyfr-ohhh that's right," he corrected himself, "You've made it perfectly clear you have a boyfriend. If I recall correctly, you practically announced it with trumpets blaring!"

Amanda's cheeks further reddened at how she loudly had declared she had a boyfriend, "No trumpets were involved, I assure you! I just didn't want any misunderstandings, is all." She held her head up high.

"Oh, okay, nix the trumpets, then. So...what's his name?"

"His name is Dean...and he's a meteorologist."

"Oh, I see. A meteorologist," Lee repeated, sounding unimpressed.

Amanda's reaction was to get defensive, "What's wrong with being a meteorologist? A weather person is a _very_ honorable profession!"

"Maybe for some people," Lee shrugged, "But I don't need someone to tell _me_ what weather I'll be facing that day! If it's cold outside, I'll just know it because when I _go_ outside, it's cold!"

Lee had no idea why he said that. If he didn't know better, he would think he was showing signs of being... jealous, which is _ridiculous!_ He looked over at Amanda who became very quiet.

How had he managed to ruin such a great morning?

"Hey, Amanda...I didn't mean to criticize your boyfriend's job like that," he apologized, "A weatherman is a fine profession; I guess-I'm just tired. Did you want to talk about him?"

The last thing Amanda wanted to do was talk about Dean to Lee.

"Not really, but did I tell you that I live with my mother and have two boys?" she eagerly asked.

Lee looked relieved,"No, you didn't!" he sounded overly enthused, "Tell me all about them!"

So Amanda regaled him with stories about her family. Lee seemed very attentive.

"...so, one time, Mother was helping Philip with his homework," Amanda was explaining, "...and she couldn't give an example of a metaphor, so she asked me to give her one and I said, _'My life is a train-wreck'_ , and she replied, " _Yes, Dear, but we are discussing metaphors here!"_

Lee laughed while shaking his head, "Dotty sounds like a hoot!"

 _Dotty?_

Amanda didn't remember telling Lee her mother's name.

It was at this point that waitress Brenda came over with their plates of food. She placed Amanda's dish down in front of her, but slammed Lee's plate down on the table.

"ENJOY!" Brenda roughly demanded before she turned away.

Lee then remarked to Brenda's departing backside, "Guess I won't be asking for that REFILL ON MY DRINK!"

But Brenda was long gone.

Lee and Amanda exchanged grins and all seemed alright again. They continued with pleasant conversation and soon it got around to talking about Lee's researching of antiques.

Lee took a bite of his burger, "Is there anything else you need to know about our research?"

 _She liked how he used 'our' research. But still, she knew better than to be taken in by Lee Silverstone. She now had an indication that he was a ladies' man. Of course with those looks and that charm, it stood to reason._

 _And he was also a man of mystery, too. She had unanswered questions for him, to be sure. But now was not the time to ask._

"How many more days of research do you think we'll need?" Amanda curiously questioned.

"Good question," He stated, wiping his hands with his napkin, "That'll be easy to figure out. Why don't I check right now to see how many photos we'll still need to investigate and then I'll be able to give you a rough estimate."

As Amanda took another bite of her salad, he brought his briefcase up on the table and opened it. Then he pulled out a stack of photos. Accidentally attached to the stack was a ripped out, smaller sheet of paper. It soon separated from the pile and went fluttering down to the ground towards Amanda's side.

"Let me get that," Amanda volunteered, as she reached down for the fallen sheet.

When Lee realized what happened, he looked alarmed.

"NO!" Lee insistently demanded, " Amanda, DON"T! I'll get it-"

"Nonsense, I've got it!" Amanda contended.

She was able to easily retrieve it.

"What _is_ this?" she inquired, taking a peek.

The paper contained a date and then listed a series of numbers on it:

Jan., 1983

7301257763

9271502109

5535902778

9604250595

Sweat was beginning to bead on Lee's forehead and he was panicking.

"It's nothing!" he strongly insisted.

When she didn't immediately hand it back, Lee had no choice but to take matters into his own hands by reaching over and quickly snatching the paper from her hand.

"Hey!" she complained, annoyed at his rudeness.

By this time Lee had shoved the paper, along with the photos, back into his briefcase and slammed it shut.

The mood of the luncheon had abruptly changed once more and the air felt charged with tension again.

Amanda realized she was wrong in reading something that was none of her business, but what harm did she do? Why was he so annoyed?

She miserably sat back in her seat, "Sorry," she mumbled.

Now that the torn sheet with was safely back in his possession, Lee could relax again.

"Forget it, Amanda, that paper was nothing," he assured her.

"If it was nothing, then what did those numbers mean?" she innocently asked, "did it have to do with the antiques?"

"No. It was... a list of phone numbers of women I know," he lied.

But Amanda knew better.

"Lee, if you don't want to tell me what those number are, you don't have to, but don't _lie_ to me!"

Again, he noted how intuitive Amanda was.

"What did I lie about?" he innocently asked.

Amanda sounded irritated, "The numbers on that sheet were NOT phone numbers!"

Lee felt tongue-tied as he argued, "Y-You...don't know that!"

"I DO know that!"

"How?" he challenged.

"Because I know those numbers represented _countries!_ "

Lee's face paled.

 _She knew._

He immediately denied it, "Countries? No, you're wrong, Amanda."

 _But they both knew she was right._

Amanda hated the arguing.

"Okay, I'm wrong, " she backed down, just wishing to end the luncheon.

But Lee couldn't let the matter drop.

 _He had to know how much she knew._

"Amanda, _if_ those numbers represented countries, and I'm not saying they _do,_ but _if_ they did, could you be more specific as to _which_ countries?"

Amanda shrugged, "Well...I mean, I only took a glance, but it looked like one set of numbers represented _China_ and another _Greece_..."

Lee's mouth dropped but Amanda didn't notice, as she was looking about the coffee shop

"... where's our waitress with the check?" she inquired, obviously anxious to leave.

But Lee wasn't ready to let this conversation drop; this involved his mission.

"Okay, Amanda, you're right," he admitted, "Those numbers _do_ represent countries," he then gave his most charming smile, "And I am duly impress that you could see that. Do you mind telling me _how_ you knew?"

 _She had him. Now she could have her questions answered._

Amanda shrugged, "It's simple really..."

"Yes?" Lee anxiously asked.

She then leaned in towards him and Lee did the same, in order to make sure he heard every word.

"...but I'm not ready to tell you, just yet."

She then casually leaned back.

.

.

 _Please review_


	4. Chapter 4

Decisions and Feelings

Chapter 4

Lee and Amanda were having a nice lunch until Amanda had accidentally stumbled upon a torn sheet of paper with a series of numbers listed on it. Although Lee and the Agency people had not been able to break the code, Amanda knew exactly what the numbers meant by merely glancing at them.

 _And she wouldn't tell him how she did it._

Lee didn't understand why. It's not as if she would benefit by keeping it to herself. He knew their lunch was already ruined because of his shortness with her, but he felt he had that right since he was feeling so frustrated.

"Amanda, you need to tell me how you knew what those numbers represented and you need to tell me NOW!"

Amanda couldn't believe this was the same guy who had previously made her heart flutter! Dean was starting to look like an excellent choice after all. At least Dean rarely told her what to do!

"I NEED to tell you?" she repeated, "That's awfully bossy!"

 _Grrrrr!_ Lee grunted _, Why is she like this!?_

Lee could appreciate that Amanda had opinions and stood her ground.

He just wished she wouldn't do _now_.

Lee was smart enough to realize that if he wanted to get answers from her, he needed to be nicer. And being a top notched spy who interrogated traitors and informants alike, he also knew that the first thing he needed to find out was what got her so upset in the first place.

"Okay, alright..." he diplomatically began, "... so instead of me trying to GUESS why you're upset and getting it _wrong,_ " he stated through clenched teeth, "why don't YOU just tell me why you're upset and then BOTH of us will know!"

"Are you calm enough to listen?" she wanted to know.

He took a very deep breath and then announced, "Yes."

She peered at him, "You don't _look_ calm."

 _Of all the..._

"A-man-da..." He pronounced her name with pure frustration. Then he face-palmed, rubbing his face roughly with his hand, and when he looked at her again, a peaceful expression was plastered on his face.

"Okay. I'm calm... _mostly_."

Amanda watched his face, "Alright, I'll tell you why I'm upset. It's because you lied to me, Lee."

 _That was the last thing he expected her to say._

"Lied to you?" He looked puzzled, " Is this about me being an astronaut again?"

She rolled her eyes, "No! Nothing so trivial!"

"Then what did I lie about?" Lee wanted to know.

"It's just that...you seem to know things that you shouldn't!" she accused him.

"What?" Lee's forehead furrowed in confusion, "Amanda, that's not called _lying,_ that's called _being clairvoyant_!"

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Amanda corrected him, "what I meant was that you know things about me that I never told you! For instance, you knew my last name, and then you knew my address, and, finally, you knew my mother's name and I never told you any of them! How is that possible?"

 _Oops._

Lee had slipped up big time and several times.

 _But spies know that the best defense is a good offense._

"Oh _yeah_? Welllll, what about YOU?" he complained.

"Me?" She looked surprised, "What _about_ me? I never lied to you!"

" _No_ , but you always want to know about things that don't concern you in the least!"

"So you're saying I'm overly-nosy?" her voice went an octave higher, "I resent that!"

"You may resent that but it's true, and here are MY examples..." he began to list, "...when I initially asked you to help me do some research, you needed to ask a _hundred_ questions before we even got started, and then when I accidentally dropped that torn sheet with the numbers, you just HAD to read the sheet completely from top to bottom, despite it belonging to _me_!"

Amanda shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "That's not as bad as being a liar! At least my pants weren't on fire!"

"No, but your ears and eyes were!"

Their disagreement was interrupted by the appearance of Brenda the waitress.

 _Oh God_ , groaned Lee.

"Need anything else?" Brenda curtly asked, and then turned towards Lee, "...some TANG perhaps?"

Lee scowled back at her.

Amanda sarcastically asked, "Any chance you could bring me a new lunch _partner_?"

"You, too?" the waitress then glared at Lee, "Another one bites the dust, eh? Mr. Hot Shot Astronaut! Maybe one day when you're up there in all that darkness, you can untether yourself from your rocket and permanently drift away into space!"

Lee sourly responded, "Unlikely _that_ will ever happen being that, for the HUNDREDTH time, _I was never an astronaut!"_

"Whatever!" Brenda heatedly responded back, as she slammed the check on the table, "And be sure to leave a BIG tip!" she demanded, before stomping away.

"Hmmph!" Lee grumbled, more to himself, "Lady, I'll give her a big tip, alright! _Stop having the personality of a demented, damp rag!"_

Amanda snickered, which made Lee grin and he seemed himself again.

"Let's get out of here, Amanda, before the chef slaps me with a spatula and the bus boy chases me around the restaurant with a mop!"

"I'm ready!" she concurred.

They got up and left.

Outside, it was a beautiful springtime day. They talked about small matters as they crossed the street. Their steps were slow and methodical, as if they didn't want their time together to end. They had almost reached the front of the library.

"Before I go back to work, can we sit awhile?" she asked, gesturing at the outside concrete bench, "I feel as if we didn't say everything that needed to be said."

"Sure, but I actually think we've said _too_ much!" Lee remarked.

They both sat.

And suddenly they had nothing else to say as they purposely stared straight ahead.

When at last Lee ventured a glance over at Amanda, he had a view of her profile. It was feminine yet strong, like the rest of her.

WHY DOES SHE GET UNDER MY SKIN LIKE SHE DOES? he wondered, _One second they're having a great time and then in two seconds flat they're disagreeing and then the cycle repeats._ _But, whether they're laughing or arguing, he STILL enjoyed her presence. Even now, he was enjoying just sitting here in perfect silence with her, sharing the air that she breathed._

Amanda was aware of how Lee's nearness always made her heart beat a little faster.

 _He was a man of few words-except when he was arguing. But he was also funny, smart, mysterious...and most importantly, seemed to have a good heart._

 _Yet, who was he, really?_

"I don't think you're an insurance agent," Amanda suddenly declared, out of the blue.

Lee's mind froze.

He slowly turned his head.

As a spy, Lee knew to stay noncommittal when being interrogated.

" _Really now?_ " Lee asked, in a very unbelieving tone. Then he pointedly asked her, "So Amanda, if I'm not an insurance agent, who do you think I am?"

"I have a hunch," she claimed.

He could play the game, too!

"Suuuure you do," Lee stated in that sarcastic, unbelieving tone.

"Lee!" Amanda's tone was insistent, "I really do have a hunch about who you are!"

He prepared himself, "Go ahead. I'm listening."

When Amanda leaned in, Lee was sure she would identify him as a government agent.

"Now, this is just conjecture, " she stated, holding up her index finger to make her point, "but... I'm thinking that _... you must be a high-end antiques thief!"_

He almost choked at the absurdity of the idea., " _Really_ now? Care to explain?"

 _Uh-oh,_ Amanda thought, _His reaction showed that he was either NOT a thief or he was a very good actor._

But she soldiered on.

"Let me first explain how I got this idea. You see, Lee, I'm a very logical thinker and-"

 _Oh no. He didn't know much about her, but he knew enough to know that he didn't want to hear a long explanation from her._

"- Amanda, could I have the Readers' Digest _condensed_ version, please?"

She pouted at his insinuation, "Do you want to hear it or not?"

He looked amused, "I do, but evening will come soon enough!"

She shot him a look, but cooperated, "It's just...things just didn't add up with you being an insurance agent. First, you don't dress like one."

"I didn't realize insurance agent had a dress code."

"Not like that, but you know, they usually wear cheaper suits that wrinkle easily," she knew that sounded rather weak, "and...um, another reason is that insurance agents aren't usually as... _smooth_ as you."

His eyes gleamed, "You think I'm smooth?"

"Like cream cheese on a bagel," Amanda answered, slightly frustrated that he considered being 'smooth' a good quality, "May I continue on without interruptions, please?"

His eyes now lit with amusement, "By all means, Amanda. Go ahead and do some more spreading, please."

She ignored his jesting, "Not only do you _not_ have appearance of an insurance agent, Lee," she continued, "but I also think a real insurance agent wouldn't need to do so much _research_ in order to evaluate each piece of jewelry. And it's all from _one_ estate? Unless it's the Royal Family, I don't believe it. Therefore, all the items we did extensive research on was done because..." she finished her reasoning with a flourish, " _you plan to_ _steal_ _those very items somewhere in the near future!_ That, and you're so guarded all the time _._ So unlike an insurance agent!"

Lee's face purposely remained impassive. _A spy never lets his adversary see what he's really thinking; especially when the adversary begins to unravel some of the truth._

"I see," Lee calmly reacted and then asked, "You always do that, Amanda?"

"Do what?"

"Confront a thief head-on about his plans," he logically responded, "because, in my opinion, that could turn out quite dangerous for you."

 _He had a point,_ Amanda reasoned, _And normally she wouldn't confront a bad person, but Lee was different. There was something about him that made her not fearful of him; and it wasn't due to his good looks. She just felt...a goodness about him. Buried very deep, but it was there. The only problem was, she never heard of a good-hearted art thief._

 _Maybe she DID get it wrong._

Amanda fumbled, "So, even though you COULD be an art thief...I figured I might be able to convince you NOT to steal anymore."

"Hmmm..." Lee seemed to be considering the idea, "And were you successful? Were you able to convince me to do the right thing and therefore, turn my life completely around?"

"You were eating lunch at a coffee shop and yet at the end of the meal, you didn't steal any of the plates," she pointed out, "that's a start."

He chuckled, "Anything else?"

She looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"Are we done with the theories? First I'm a big liar and then I'm a jewelry thief? Any other negative descriptions you want to use to bring me down a notch?"

"That wasn't my intent! I just find it interesting that you never denied _either_ one of my accusations!"

"Okay, I will then," he told her as she looked surprised.

She gulped, "You will? Which one?"

"Both. I'm _neither_ a liar on the things you accused me of, _nor_ am I a jewelry thief."

She looked wide-eyed, "You need to do some explaining then."

"I don't know if anyone ever told you this, Amanda," Lee began, "but you tend to be ...how can I say it in a nice way? rather, _long-winded_ at times. You ramble when you talk."

"I may have been told that a time... or ten," Amanda meekly admitted.

He smiled, "People who over-talk tend to want to get out as much information as they can in the shortest amount of time. Isn't it possible that when you were trying to blurt out everything at once, you could have let slip _other_ information that you didn't remember saying, but you did?"

 _He said it with utmost certainty._

 _Amanda was getting confused._

"Um...perhaps..."

"So you _could_ have been chatting away, never realizing that you had mentioned in haste your full name or your mother's first name or even where you lived, right?" he questioned.

 _It made sense, darn it!_

"Okay, _maybe.._.we'll let that one go..."she decided, "But...what about you possibly NOT being an insurance agent? How will you explain THAT away?"

 _That was a bit harder_.

"Amanda, I know we've known each other for only two Wednesdays, but you seem very good at sizing up people...so tell me the truth...do I _really_ come off to you as an scheming art thief?"

His voice oozed with sincerity and honesty.

And when she met his gaze, she was held a prisoner by his smoldering green eyes. And his sensual lips. They were tantalizing whenever he smiled. Her pulse began racing.

And her cheeks flushed with embarrassment when she caught a hot flicker in his eyes that mirrored her own.

Meanwhile, Lee's palpable reaction to her forced him to remind himself that Amanda was a housewife with a boyfriend. Not his type in the least.

She had forced herself to look away again in order to answer him,"Okay, Lee, so maybe, just _maybe_ you're not a thief, but something strange is going on here!"

Lee masked his thoughts and nonchalantly stated, "Nothing strange is going on here, Amanda. I just need you for my research, okay?"

 _Her pulse began racing again when he mentioned he needed her._

 _This was all too much._

Amanda bit her lower lip. _What is happening to her? She felt something for a man she didn't know. The way her thoughts and body had reacted to him convinced her of that fact. But she was with Dean._ _Dean!_

 _Dean was good for her._

 _Lee would only hurt her._

 _She knew she'd never have a chance with a smooth-talking, woman-loving man like Lee. And the longer she'd worked with him, the more difficult it would be when he moved on._

Her voice had a sad quality to it when she announced, "Lee, let's just stop this."

Alarms went off in Lee's head; he had a feeling he knew what direction this conversation was going.

"What do you mean?" he innocently asked, yet dread filled his mind.

"I...I don't think this is working out between us...wellll, not _between_ us like _that_..." Amanda corrected herself, " I mean, between us as in _working together_. I guess what I'm trying to say is...we need to stop with the research stuff."

She felt miserable after saying that.

"Oh." Lee felt disappointment. It was like being socked in the gut, "You sure?"

She silently nodded.

Then she grabbed her purse and stood.

Lee stood, too, not sure what to do.

 _He sure made a mess of things._

 _Plus he never did find out how she knew about those coded numbers._

 _But that seemed so trite now._

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and in a pleading voice, stated, "Amanda-"

Her eyes looked hopeful, "Yes?"

Lee had planned to give all the reasons why they should continue with the research, but from his experience he knew she had made the right decision. He had dealt with enough women to know the kind of cad he could be. It was time to let her go. She deserved better.

 _And The Agency will just have to figure out a different way to decode those numbers,_ he decided.

 _This was just getting too complicated._

So he acquiesced to her wish, "I supposed you're right."

The light disappeared in her eyes and there was a tinge of sadness in her voice as she forced a smile, "Good-bye, then, Lee. It was nice meeting you."

Lee straightened, "Amanda... take care."

With a final nod she turned to go into the library, without looking back.

Then as Lee regretfully watched Amanda's departing backside, he was thinking how their time together had been so brief, yet it was long enough for him to feel as though...

...he was on the edge, waiting for something to happen.

But, now, he guessed it never would.

.

 _._

 _(A/N: for you young folks, 'Tang' was a powdered orange drink heavily associated with manned space flights. Tang's slogan was 'Tang-Breakfast for Astronauts!')_

 _And yes, the coded numbers will be explained soon!_

 _Please review_


	5. Chapter 5

Decisions

Chapter 5

The next morning, Lee was in bright and early inside Billy's office, and he was all business. Lee had just finished explaining to his boss about Amanda's amazing ability in deciphering their coded numbers sheet.

Although the Agency already knew of those locations on that particular sheet of paper, they needed to understand how to decode the numbers in order to stop future shipments of contrabands from reaching their intended destinations.

Billy looked incredulous, "So you're saying that this librarian, this Amanda King, glanced at Rutherfords' coded numbers list and immediately recognized two of the four locations, when our boys couldn't figure out the method to do it in a week's time?"

"...volunteer librarian," Lee corrected him.

"What?"

"She's a __volunteer librarian,__ " Lee repeated.

Billy looked perplexed, "Is that even important?"

Lee remarked, "Believe me, it's important to __her__."

Billy groaned but corrected himself, "Okay, so this _ _volunteer__ librarian was able to break the code and identify two of the four locations? Could there be any chance that she guessed lucky?"

"No way, Billy. Even if she guessed lucky that the numbers represented __countries,__ how was she able to determine the two countries as being China and Greece? If her guessing is __really__ that good, I'm taking her to the races and placing a BIG bet!"

Billy looked stumped, "I just can't figure out why our __own__ people couldn't figure it out when she did it in seconds!" he complained, "Did Mrs. King give you __any__ indication as to __how__ she was able to break the code?"

"No," Lee sighed.

Billy thought for a time and then an idea came to mind, "I hate to suggest this, Lee, but it's vital we understand how to break that code, so... any chance you could __charm__ the information out of Mrs. King?"

"WHAAAT? " Lee looked bothered, incredulous, and scared at the same time, "No, I won't even consider that, Billy!"

"Why not? It's not as if you haven't used flirtation or seduction __before__ to get information that we needed!"

Lee vigorously shook his head, "But I won't use __that__ method with Amanda! You can forget it!"

"Are you telling me that you think Mrs. King will be immune to your charms?" he challenged Lee.

"I never said THAT!" Lee countered, "It's just...won't work with her. Trust me. Besides, the point is moot anyway since I won't be seeing her again. Ever."

"But you told me you haven't finished your research yet!" Billy stated and then eyed him suspiciously, "What __really__ happened between you two?" he then sent a chiding look Lee's way, "don't tell me you did your __'love 'em and leave 'em__ schtick on her already!"

"That's NOT what happened here, Billy!" Lee insisted and then added, "At least not this time! _ _SHE__ made the decision to not work with me anymore, not me!"

Billy smirked, "Well, well, seems Mrs. King IS as smart as you claim her to be!"

"Not funny, Billy!" His emotion ran so high it looked like a vein might pop on Lee's forehead.

"Then explain to me why she didn't want to work with you?!"

Lee made a show of irritably pushing himself up from his seat. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he began pacing the floor.

"Amanda is VERY stubborn! She didn't believe my cover and I had a good one this time!" Lee complained, "So instead of accepting everything I said as the truth, she point-blank called me a __liar!__ "

"I believe THAT'S called __hitting the nail on its head!__ " opinioned Billy.

"I know that!" Lee barked back, "I didn't want HER to know that!"

Billy clasped his hands together and decisively placed them on his desk, "I think the solution is quite clear then."

That got Lee's attention; he had stopped pacing.

"Really? What's the solution then?"

"I think you should bring Amanda King into the loop; reveal your true identity to her."

That was the LAST thing Lee expected Billy to say.

"ARE YOU NUTS _ _,__ Billy?" Lee incredulously shouted, "You don't actually expect me to tell a suburban housewife that I'm a secret agent for the __government__ , do you?!"

"According to you, that's the __only__ way Mrs. King will believe you, and we desperately need her deciphering skills! You already blew it going undercover, so let's see how __honesty__ works! A new concept for you AND the government!"

Lee vigorously shook his head, "No, it's NOT a good idea to bring Amanda into the fold! If I tell her who I __really__ am, she'll want to know __everything__ about our business! And then it'll take me half the day to explain everything, because parts of me being a spy will not make sense to her, and she won't stop interrogating me until it does!"

"But you don't have to tell her everything! Just tell her enough! Remember, YOU have control of the situation!"

Billy was beginning to wonder what was wrong with his top agent. __What was it about this housewife that has Lee running around in agitated, emotional circles?__

"Truthfully, Billy, I'm not sure WHO'S in control!" Lee claimed, "I can't think straight when she's around! I'm telling you, Amanda has me all turned around!"

Billy lifted a brow, "You mean, when you're with her, you don't know if your __lies__ are coming or going?"

"Precisely!" snapped Lee, "There HAS to be another way to break the code without her! Maybe our guys just need more time!"

"Time is something we __don't__ have, Lee!" Billy pointed out, "Rutherford's party is __this__ weekend and you know you need to get those coded numbers before Rutherford's next shipment goes out on the first of next month, like it always does!"

"I know, I know!" Lee sounded frustrated as he plopped himself back down in the chair, "I realize that I've only got __one shot__ to steal those coded numbers at his party, and I plan to do it!"

"And fortunately, Lee, you won't be alone on the assignment; you'll also have Francine's help."

Lee gave his boss a look, "Are you trying to stress me out even further?"

Billy did not look amused, "Scarecrow, come on! You're very fortunate to get someone like Francine! I'll admit, she may not be our most pleasant agent, but she's definitely one of our most competent! However, even if you and Francine succeed in stealing the shipment plans, it won't mean __anything__ if we can't decipher the code! That's why we need Mrs. King's help!"

Lee made his last pitch to his boss, "I know what you're saying, but I'm still not convinced it's a good thing to tell Amanda the truth. Do you __really__ want to get a civilian involved in a covert operation? This job could become dangerous for her."

"It's not like she'll be out in the field, Lee!" his boss reminded him, "Mrs. King will be merely assisting in deciphering a code, something our research people do all the time in the safe confines of our offices. It's basically administrative work. She won't be connected to The Agency in the least."

Lee heavily sighed. Whatever argument he had for Billy, Billy would counter him. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to tell Amanda the truth; lying sure didn't work.

And then he considered the other side: he would get to see her again. When he shut his eyes, he could hear the sound of her raspy voice, see her lovely, smiling face, and listen to her entertaining ways of thinking.

 _ _What is wrong with him?__

"Well?" Billy abruptly broke into his thoughts, "Are you going to reveal your identity to her? Because if you don't want to do it, I do have an alternative plan."

"You do?" Lee looked surprised, "What's that?"

"We could send in Agent Townsend to meet her. He'll go undercover and ' _ _accidentally'__ meet up with your Mrs. King. As you know, Townsend can be quite charming and personable with the ladies-"

"-Townsend's a hack!" Lee angrily interrupted, "and on top of that, he's too smarmy, especially with that fake European accent he's always using on the women. Amanda wouldn't be attracted to the likes of him, even if he glued hundred dollar bills to his misshapen body!"

Billy feigned helplessness, "Maybe so, but what else can I do when there are no other-"

"-Alright! I'll do it!" Lee caved in, "I'll get her to decode those numbers for us!"

Billy pretended to look unsure, "But Lee, she doesn't want to work with you..."

"I'll convince her otherwise! But I won't do it with charm...I'll use my brilliance!"

 _ _"What's the backup plan?"__ Billy muttered more to himself.

Lee shot him a look, "What?"

"Nothing."

Lee was thinking out loud now, "So, I'll keep my interaction with Amanda as simple as possible. I'll reveal my identity to her and then she'll reveal her decoding method. That's it. No other words needed, and then we part ways. End of story..."

Billy looked satisfied, "Sounds like a plan!"

Then Lee shook his head in frustration, "Why do I think this will not turn out well?"

"Relax, Lee," Billy knew he had him, "You will say what you need to say to her, get what you need to get out of her, and then everyone goes on their merry way. How complicated can __that__ be?"

" _ _Very,__ Billy. You don't know Amanda King."

.

.

The whole night Amanda was feeling miserable. She almost regretted stopping her research with him. Her short time with Lee Silverstone had been exciting and challenging, and that was the problem.

 _ _She started to care.__

 _ _And she wasn't referring to the research.__

Still feeling down and out, Amanda decided to call it an early night. After showering and then putting her boys to bed, she went into her bedroom and pulled out her Veronica La Rue book.

She hadn't been reading for more than 20 minutes when-

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Amanda?" Dotty's voice could be heard coming from the other side of her bedroom door, "May I come in?"

Amanda didn't want to be rude, "Of course, Mother!"

Dotty entered, concern etched on her face, "You were so quiet tonight at dinner, Dear, I thought you might want to talk about whatever was bothering you."

Amanda wasn't sure she wanted to reveal her true thoughts, but she patted an area of her bed for her mother to sit.

"Of course, Mother, I always enjoy our talks together."

Dotty sat down on Amanda's bed. She then began with, "Amanda, we didn't get to talk much about your day because of the boys, but I sensed a sadness about you all evening. Is this about Dean?"

"Oh no, Mother. Dean and I are fine."

Dotty tried again, "Then does this have to do with your extra research work that you did today?"

Amanda considered her words carefully, "Perhaps. Today was the last day I'll be doing research with Mr. Silverstone."

"Oh?" Dotty looked surprised that Amanda would feel that bad about it, "Darling, if you're feeling bad that we won't be getting that extra money anymore, rest assure that we've never needed the money before, so it won't be missed."

"No, Mother," Amanda was shaking her head, "It's not about the money."

"Then is it because you had enjoyed doing the research and now you won't be doing it any longer? Surely you can find other-"

"-Mother, it's not that either," Amanda interrupted, not wanting her mother to continue guessing, "I just feel bad that I had to tell Lee we won't be working together any more. Even though I think I made the right decision, it still makes me sad."

Amanda then looked down and began to fiddle with her bedcovers, lost in her own thoughts.

 _ _Oh, so it had to do with the gentlemen himself!__ Dotty understood now _ _.__

"Amanda?"

Amanda continued to play with her comforter, "Yes, Mother?"

"Are you really __that__ emotionally attached to him already?"

Amanda's head shot up, shocked at her mother's intuitiveness. The problem was, Amanda wasn't sure how much she wanted her mother to know about her feelings, because she didn't know herself.

"No, Mother, this has __nothing__ to do with Lee Silverstone," Amanda fibbed, "the fact is, he's not my type."

"In what way, Dear?"

"In what way?" Amanda repeated as she fumbled about, "Well...let's see, um, for one...he's...he's too short!"

"You mean, Lee Silverstone is a midget insurance agent?"

"No! He's not a midget, Mother!" Amanda insisted, wishing she had thought of a better excuse, "I know it sounds rather shallow to say this, Mother, but...the fact is, I am attracted to tall men."

 _ _...with dreamy green eyes and mysterious ways, who stirred sensations inside of her that were difficult to put aside.__

"Does that bother you, Dear?"

" _ _What__ bother me?" Amanda asked, snapping out of her revelry.

"Does Mr. Silverstone's shortness bother you?"

"Shouldn't it, Mother?"

"Think of it this way, Darling...even __dynamite__ is known to come in small packages!"

"Mother!"

"I'm just saying, Amanda...keep an open mind-just not so open that your brains fall out!"

Amanda smiled at that last comment from her mother and then her expression turned sorrowful again, "Mother, it doesn't matter how I feel about him because I won't be seeing him again. Besides, I can't believe you're saying all this when you've been the one to always point out how lucky I am to have Dean!"

"Now, Dear, I know I can be pushy __at times__ regarding you and Dean, but when it comes to matters of the heart...it really is your decision at the end of it all. I trust your decision because you're a bright, beautiful person with a good heart. In fact, I think you're too overqualified for this world!"

Amanda laughed, "Oh Mother!"

"I can't help it, Dear, that's how I feel!" Dotty exclaimed and then added, "Besides, you have other things to look forward to...like, for instance, this weekend!"

Amanda's forehead furrowed, "This weekend, Mother?"

"Yes, this weekend! You'll be attending Hunter Rutherford's afternoon gala with Claudia! Did you forget about that?"

"Oh, Mother, you're right! The gala!" Amanda __had__ forgotten about going to the party of the library's biggest contributor, "You know, it might be fun to go! There'll be a palatial mansion to view, exquisite food to savor, and impressive people to meet!"

Dotty clapped her hands joyously as she imagined the possibilities, "To wine and dine with the elite rich! Oh! Amanda! You're a VERY lucky person to be invited to such a grand affair! So, there you go...life is good again!"

Amanda smiled at her mother's optimism, "Life is good again."

"So, are you feeling better now?"

Amanda's heart did feel slightly lighter, "Yes, Mother. I __do__ feel better!"

"Good! Then I'll say my good-night!" Dotty leaned over and they tightly hugged one another, "I know you'll eventually figure out everything, Dear. After all, you've been taught by the best!"

"I have, haven't I?!" Amanda beamed, "Good night, Mother."

Goodnight, Darling."

After Dotty left, Amanda was still not feeling sleepy, so she reached over to retrieve her book again. Excitedly she opened her book, anxious to be once again entangled in the spy life of Agent Veronica La Rue, a life she could only read about...

 _ _R-r-r-r-ing!...__

The phone suddenly ringing in the quiet night air startled Amanda.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand.

10:32 pm

 _ _Who would be calling so late__ , she wondered to herself.

 _ _R-r-r-r-ing!...__

Then her heart skipped a beat at the possibility.

 _ _Could it be...Lee?__

 _ _Maybe in one of her previous ramblings to him, she had ALSO mentioned her phone number to him!__

 _ _R-r-r-r-ing!...__

 _ _OR...she berated herself, the more likely reason would be that he had discovered her phone number simply by going through the white pages!__

 _ _She realized she was the one who had put a stop to their meetings, but please, oh please...let her hear his wonderful-sounding voice again!__

 _ _R-r-r-r-ing!...__

Slamming her book shut, she reached over and nervously picked up the receiver.

"H-Hello?" she greeted, her pulse now racing with anticipation.

.

.

 _ _Please review__


	6. Chapter 6

A Visit or Two

Chapter 6

It was late at night and Amanda had just answered the phone.

"Hello Amanda," the other person on the line stated, "This is Dean."

Amanda's heart fell into a deep pit, but she forced herself to sound happy.

"Dean...oh! It's nice to hear you, but isn't it rather late to be calling?"

"I know, but I was just thinking about you. I thought I'd drop by for dinner tomorrow night, if that's okay with my favorite girl. So what do you say?"

 _His favorite girl._ Amanda smiled to herself.

 _Good old reliable Dean._

 _Someone she could count on._

 _Why was she trying so hard to build castles in the sky when reality was telling her to stay on the ground?_

Amanda sounded sincere, "Yes, Dean, I'll be available tomorrow night."

.

The next night Dean was over the house and they had just finished dinner. They had the whole house to themselves since Mother had taken the boys to see a movie. While in the kitchen by herself, Amanda was having second thoughts about Dean as she finished cutting two big slices of homemade apple pie for the two of them.

From the living room, Dean yelled out, "AMANDA, ARE YOU JUST ABOUT DONE? YOU'RE MISSING PETER JENNINGS!"

She shouted back from the kitchen, "I'LL BE RIGHT OUT, DEAN!"

Amanda soon returned back to the living room with two plates of slices of apple pie, Dean's favorite.

The TV was blaring as they silently ate and watched the newscast-Dean didn't like to talk during the news, especially when the weather segment came on. She knew that after the commercial, he would tell her that the piece of apple pie really hit the spot, the same compliment she's heard many times before.

He had just finished his last bite and remarked, "Boy, Amanda, that apple pie really hit the spot."

Amanda forced a grateful smile, "Thanks."

With the news over, Amanda got up, turned off the TV and sat back down. She turned towards Dean, hoping to engage him in some deep conversation.

"Dean, I'd like to ask you something."

"Sure," he stated, contently rubbing his stomach after devouring the delicious pie.

"Do you ever wish your life was different?"

He stopped his rubbing and now turned to face her with a funny look on his face.

"That's a rather strange question, Amanda. Why would you ever ask that?"

She shrugged, "Just something I've had rolling around in my mind; I mean, I'm happy with my life, don't get me wrong. And I'm sure you're satisfied with your life, too, _but._..do you ever get the feeling that there's something else out there?"

He shrugged, "The road not taken, right?"

"Something like that."

Dean wasn't used to deep talk after such a huge dinner, but it seemed as if Amanda needed to get something off of her mind.

So he asked, "Amanda, why the question? Does this have anything to do with that research stuff you had been doing at the library? I've noticed you've been acting different since you've started that."

One thing that Amanda always admired about Dean was that he was analytical. But what she didn't want him to figure out was the connection between her and how she felt about working with Lee Silverstone.

"Oh? What do you mean?" she asked.

"You just seemed so...restless lately...Is the research not going as planned?"

"It's not going at all," she ruefully admitted, "I'm not doing it any longer. I-It (she almost said 'we') didn't work out."

"Maybe it's for the better," he suggested.

Amanda bristled at that comment, "Why would you say that?"

"You just seemed so...distracted doing that," Dean stated in his usual monotone voice, "and truthfully, I'm glad to hear you're not doing it anymore. It'll be good for you to get back to the routine of life. Your life is full enough as it is. Forget about that extra stuff; it doesn't matter in the long run, anyway. Go back to doing what is familiar to you and before you know it, you'll be back to feeling normal again."

"I'm not sure I want things back to normal," Amanda quietly commented.

Dean's brows furrowed upon hearing those words. It was one of the few times Amanda got a reaction from Dean.

"Amanda, I don't get you tonight. You're not acting like you."

"I guess...lately, I've been wanting more out of life," she struggled to explain, "doing the research has expanded my way of thinking. I enjoyed the idea that there's something new and exciting out there for me, and now...I won't be doing it anymore and it's such a letdown."

Another sigh escaped her lips.

"It happens to the best of us," he told her, patting her knee, "but you'll get over it and soon you'll be your usual cheery self. I know it. So let's just put this talk behind us, okay?"

Amanda felt she was getting nowhere with Dean.

"Oh, I suppose you're right," she relented, although she didn't feel better at all.

Dean nodded, glad the talk was done and over with, "I knew you'd see things my way."

They talked a little about his work and then he stood and stretched out his back.

"Anyway,I should be going," Dean announced, "I need to get to work earlier than usual. This week I'll be doing the new layout for the weathercast background. Selecting the right colors and design can be very stressful."

"Oh, I'm sure it is," Amanda stated, although she couldn't imagine any of it.

She actually didn't feel disappointed as she also stood. She liked the idea of being alone with her thoughts once Dean had left.

"By the way," he told her, as they walked together towards the door, "I just checked the weekly mailer and they're having a great sale on potato peelers and corn huskers at Kitchen World this weekend. Would you be interested in going?"

Back to the routine of life.

But maybe he was right and she needed to do that.

She gave a resigned smile, "Sounds great."

"That's my girl," Dean leaned over and gave her a quick peck, "Thanks for dinner..." he looked directly into her eyes when he asked his usual question, "and you be good now, okay?"

"I will."

As they stood across from one another, Amanda couldn't help noticing how they were almost the same height. Amanda secretly thought how nice it would be if he were taller and towered over her like...

"Amanda?"

Dean was watching her closely.

"Hmmm?" Amanda responded absentmindedly, "What?"

"There you go again, being a million miles away."

"Oh!" Amanda snapped out of her musing, "Yes, well, good night, Dean."

Satisfied, he walked out and she closed the door behind him. She didn't even bother watching him as he drove away. Shutting the porch light, she went back and gathered up the dirty pie plates. She returned to the kitchen and began washing them in the suds, along with the drink cups.

Ten minutes later, she had finished wiping the remaining dishes and was putting them back into the cupboard. After shutting the cabinet door, she thought she heard what sounded like a shuffled paper near the back door. Her head turned towards the sound...

...in time to see a while envelope being shoved under the kitchen door.

Lee!

The idea of never seeing him again was quickly forgotten.

She dashed towards the door and swung it open in time to see Lee getting up from a stooped position after shoving the envelope under the door.

Amanda drew a deep breath at the sight of him.

He looked surprised at being caught, and when he straightened up, he immediately looked apologetic and put out his hands in a defensive manner.

"Now, Amanda, don't be upset with me coming over here tonight...I know we've already said our goodbyes..."

However, Amanda was anything but upset. Her heart was pounding so hard at his presence that she felt it was going to burst out of its ribcage.

She took a calming breath, "What are you doing here, anyway?" she anxiously asked, "Do you need me to do some more research?"

Lee's emotions had initially tumbled riotously upon seeing her; now he felt relieved that she hadn't scolded him. But he had a mission to complete, and he had to think of that first.

"Actually, Amanda, it's beyond that," he opaquely stated, "W _ay_ beyond that."

Her curiosity increased two-fold, "You need me to do something _beyond_ the research?" she couldn't imagine what that meant.

Amanda's eager, lovely brown eyes seemed riveted on him as she waited for him to proceed.

But he needed to stay focus on the mission.

"Yes. The fact is, Amanda, I-"

At the same time, they soon heard the sound of the front door being swung opened. Then the clamorous sounds of her mother and two energetic boys drifted into the kitchen.

"AMANDA, DEAR, WE'RE HOME!" they heard Dotty yelling above the fray of the boys' loud talking.

Amanda looked alarmed as she whispered, " _It's Mother! You've got to go!"_

Lee's eyes widened, "But-"

SLAM!

Slamming the door in haste, Amanda needed to get to work. Hurriedly she picked up the envelope from the floor and rushed back to hide it in one of the nearby cupboards.

As she stood over the sink to straighten her clothes, Lee suddenly popped up like a Jack-in-the-box at the kitchen window, startling Amanda once again.

"Hey!" he playfully grinned.

Amanda gasped as her hand flew up to the throat.

Her eyes then narrowed as she berated him, " _Stop having fun at my expense_ _, Lee Silverstone! T_ _he boys and Mother are just beyond the kitchen!"_

Lee had forgotten how fun it was to deal with Amanda King. He now pretended to look just as annoyed.

 _"Then don't flattened my face with the door again!"_ , he countered back, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Her lips trembled as she tried to keep from smiling.

"AMANDA!" Dotty yelled out again, "WHERE _ARE_ YOU!?"

Amanda's eyes widened as she turned her head towards the front of the house and yelled out, "I'M IN THE KITCHEN, MOTHER! I'LL BE RIGHT OUT!"

She then shot Lee an anxious look, " _You've got to go!"_

His expression suddenly turned solemn, _"Okay, but we need to talk, Amanda!_ _Can you meet me tomorrow at one?"_

She didn't skip a beat, _"Where?"_

He looked pleased with her response, " _Long Bridge Park. Near the slides."_

" _I'll be there! Now go! Goooo!_ " she shooed him away when she heard footsteps approaching.

He quickly and happily ducked at exactly the same time the kitchen door blasted open. Amanda's heart was beating so fast at how close she got at being caught, yet her smile was genuine, just thinking about seeing Lee again tomorrow.

"Mo-ther, hello... Mother," Amanda greeted, nonchalantly resting her two hands on the edge of the sink while trying to catch her breath at the same time.

Dotty placed her hand on her hips, "Amanda! What are you doing in here? Why didn't you come out to welcome the boys home?"

"I had, uh, plan to, Mother, but I was...just enjoying the last of my private time."

That's a rather strange comment," Dotty suspiciously stated as she looked around the kitchen, "Is Dean still here?"

 _"Dean?"_ Amanda had forgotten Dean had been here earlier, "Uh no, Mother, he left already."

"Really?" Dotty looked unconvinced, "But I could have _sworn_ I heard you talking in here!"

Amanda broke out in a sweat.

 _"_ Oh _that_?" Amanda's mind was going a mile a minute, "that was me singing!"

Dotty eyed her suspiciously, "Oh?"

"Yes..." Amanda insisted, "I was, uh, thinking about the boys, so I was singing... 'Mama Mia!' !" she quickly made up, quite satisfied with her answer.

Dotty looked with disbelief at her daughter, "How do you even _sing_ that song? To me, that song always sounded like fast talking set to interesting instrumentals!"

"Well, _**I**_ like to sing that song, because as a mother, it always cheers me up!" defended Amanda, holding her head high.

Dotty tilted her head, "Dear, you _do_ realize that the song is about the heartbreak of letting go of someone who's cheated, don't you?"

"What? Oh!" Amanda looked surprised then resolved, "Well, why are we talking about such a depressing song anyway?" she nonchalantly inquired as she began walking, "I'm anxious to see my boys! Now, THAT would be cheery! Are they upstairs already?"

"Uh, yes, Dear, I believe they are..." Dotty meekly responded as she watched her daughter walk past her and out of the kitchen.

Now in the next room, Amanda was able to let out a deep, relieved breath.

 _Whew. Her mother had almost discovered Lee; that was TOO close for comfort._

 _Yet, even with the threat of discovery, Amanda never felt more alive._

And as she climbed the stairs to see her boys, her heart was filled with excited anticipation at what would be happening tomorrow.

 _For just like secret agent Veronica La Rue, she was about to go off to a clandestine meeting with a handsome, mysterious man._

 _._

 _._

 _Please review_

 _Next chapter, you will know the secret of the coded numbers!_


	7. Chapter 7

Confessions

Chapter 7

With over 30 acres of greenery and recreation, Long Bridge Park is a well designed environmental playground. The attractive green spaces and play facilities are beautifully landscaped with native shrubs and perennials. The parks also offers an astounding view of the Capital buildings and monuments.

And this was where Amanda would rendezvous with Lee.

Amanda had arrive early on the playground bench. She hadn't slept at all last night, but instead, tossed and turned, wondering why Lee had decided to make contact with her again. He had also stated that he no longer needed her to do research, that his reason for contacting her was something beyond that.

 _What did that mean?_

While waiting, she let her mind wander as she took notice of her surroundings.

 _What a perfect day to be at the park_ , she happily thought The clouds in the sky provided a cool blanket from the hot sun as a light breeze blew through Amanda's hair.

Her mind drifted over to the sounds of children laughing and running near the slides and swings. They began by playing chase, which turned into being cops and robbers, and ended with pretending to be treasure-digging pirates.

 _If only adults could feel that kind of fun and excitement,"_ lamented Amanda _._

"A penny for your thoughts," a familiar male voice spoke out.

She instantly turned her head in the direction of the voice. It was Lee, his form outlined by the sun, his hands behind his back. When he stepped closer, she could see his face and she once more drew a deep breath at the sight of him. He had one hand behind his back, wearing another well-tailored suit that fit his strong physique perfectly.

"Hello, Lee," she smiled and then scooted over, "have a seat."

He remained standing, however, looking a bit nervous. Then from behind his back he brought forward in his hand three yellow Virginian marigolds, each tiny flower head no more than 2 inches across. This particular native flower consisted of eight yellow petals surrounding a dark yellow center, much like a miniature daisy.

"This is for you, as way of apology," he humbly stated, "I realize I'm not the easiest person to get along with at times."

She was genuinely touched as she accepted the makeshift bouquet and sniffed its sweet scent.

"Marigolds!" she gushed, "...they're lovely! Thank you, Lee."

Amanda was someone who took delight in everything. He felt a strange quivering sensation as he sat next to her. Lee couldn't understand what was happening to him. He never did frilly gestures like this. But when he saw the flowers growing outside of his apartment, he instantly thought of her.

Delicate, yet strong against the elements.

But he also realized he was not here to romance her; far from it. Lee needed to complete his mission and nothing would get in the way of that. Still, it pleased him to know that she appreciated his small gesture.

Lee stared off in the distance to make it easier to speak to her, "Amanda, I didn't like how we had ended our... friendship. I wasn't ready to end it because...I somehow feel connected to you in a way, if that makes any sense."

Amanda's eyes focused on her beautiful flowers, although her heart was beating rapidly at his admission. She couldn't bring herself to look at him just yet, "I feel that way, too."

"Good," he sounded pleased as he took a deep breath, "Then since we're friends, I'd like to come clean with you about something else."

Amanda was intrigued, "Alright..."

"The fact is, Amanda, you were right about something. I'm really not an insurance agent."

Amanda didn't look surprised, "Before you go further, Lee, are you doing the apology and confession thing because in exchange, you want me to reveal the secret of those coded numbers from that piece of paper I saw?"

 _Of course she would be smart enough to see his motive was not totally altruisic._

Again, Lee was impressed with her instincts. And he was glad he hadn't decided on using his method of 'charming" her, because she would've seen right through him.

"You're right about that, Amanda. I came here to exchange information," he admitted, "I believe it's called, ' _quid pro quo'._ "

"Is that Latin for 'Lee, I've-got-you-over-a-barrel'?

Lee laughed, "You win. And you _do_ have me over a barrel. Tell you what: I'll admit to you my real profession, if you'll reveal your decoding method. Do we have a deal?"

"No," she stated.

Lee was surprised, "No?"

"No; let me tell you how I was able to decode those numbers _first_."

It was the last thing he expected her to say.

"You want to go first? Why?"

"Because the information you want to know from me seems _very_ important to _you,_ " Amanda explained, "whereas what I want from you is mere curiosity."

Her honesty and generosity was refreshing.

"Alright and thank you. You go first."

She smiled, "Do you have that piece of paper with the original list of numbers on it?" she asked.

"I do, " he stated, reaching into his inside jacket pocket. He then handed the paper over to her, "here."

She viewed the paper:

8175257763

9271502109

5535902778

9604250595

She simply stated, "These are what you call ISBNs."

"What?" Lee squelched his face in bafflement, "ISBN? I'm not familiar with that acronym."

"You wouldn't be," Amanda explained, "It's a library term. It stands for _International Standard Book Number_. You see, Lee, nearly every book that's ever been published in the world has a unique 10-digit number. That way, it ensures maximum discoverability of the book for bookstores and libraries."

"Okay, I'll pretend I understood everything that you just told me," Lee told her, "and if I did, that still doesn't explain how you knew two of those locations meant China and Greece."

"Just be patent...Oh that's right, I forgot, this is _you_." Amanda teased.

Lee smiled. She _did_ know him already, "Will you get on with the explanation, please?"

"Gladly. You see, Lee, there are four parts to this 10 digit number system, but I'll only discuss the first two numbers, because that's the part that matters to you. These two numbers represent a particular country, geographical region, or language area for this book. Now, I had just finished shelving some books in the travelogue section at the library, so that's how I knew the country of origin for the second row of numbers here," she pointed, "would be some kind of travel book on China, while the fourth line of numbers here," again she pointed, "would refer to the country of Greece."

"Well I'll be..." Lee stared at the numbers and then up at her in astonishment, "It's as simple as that?"

"As simple as that."

"Amanda, you're...I mean, _that's..._ remarkable!"

Lee was steadily staring at her, sending her heart crashing against her ribcage.

Licking her lips, she forced herself to look away as she blathered on, "I-It's really a very thorough and organized system, Lee. So if you ever want to know what countries the _other_ ISBN numbers represent, all you have to do is look it up through WorldCat, which is the global catalog for books. Do you understand?"

 _She is so straight-forward and yet so very complicated in her thinking at the same time,_ Lee thought, finding her fascinating.

"I do, and we thank you," he calmly stated, developing new admiration for her.

"You said 'we'," Amanda noticed, "So you _do_ work for a company?"

 _For a split second Lee thought of making up a new cover instead of telling her the truth, but he quickly discarded that idea. After all, she was upfront with him, so she deserved the same_.

 _But that doesn't mean that he couldn't still have a little fun with her._

"You might say that I work for a company," Lee mysteriously stated, enjoying the suspense, "or rather, I work for an _agency._ Or should I say _The_ Agency!"

Amanda scrunched up her face in an adorable way, "What? I'm not understanding!" and then she went off into one of her tangents, "Ever since I met you, everything seems so shrouded in secrecy! All this talk reminds me of a plot from one of my favorite mystery books-"

"-the ones featuring Agent La Rue, perhaps?" Lee questioned.

Amanda's eyes widened, "How did you -...oh, never mind...I shouldn't ask unless I want a nonsensical answer!"

Lee was fighting a grin, "So, Amanda, you were saying that our situation reminded you of one of your books?"

"Yes, that's right!" she exclaimed as she continued on her tangent, "You see, Lee, in the book _'Liars and Spies_ ", Agent La Rue acquired some coded recipe cards that no one at spy headquarters could make heads or tails of until _she_ figured it out! I especially liked that book because that was the one where she meets Jake Alexander, a handsome spy with sharp suits, and a mysterious past. He also knew more about Veronica than he should have..."

Amanda paused.

 _Some codes...a handsome spy with sharp suits, and a mysterious past... he also knew more about her than he should have..._

Lee figured he didn't have to say anything more as he patiently sat on the bench, watching her put the pieces together. She blinked a few times and when she slowly turned towards him, her eyes had a look of understanding.

"Ohhhh, Lee..." she breathlessly stated, trying to absorb everything that she was thinking.

"Yes?" Lee nonchalantly stated, waiting for the other shoe to fall.

"Y-You're a..." she began to say, but suddenly her throat felt dry and she had to swallow.

His eyes glinted with amusement, "...a what?" he innocently asked, "An author of spy novels?"

She shook her head.

"No. You're a..."

Pausing, she leaned in, and he leaned in as well.

"... **spy!"** they both said in unison.

She stared at him with a mixture of confusion and wonderment.

"So, it's true then...you're _really_ a _spy_?"

"Welllll..." he hemmed and hawed, "technically _yes_ , but we like to call ourselves _agents_ or _covert operatives..._ but I'm a fair man, so 'spy' will be acceptable coming from you."

"A _spyyyy_..." she stated with reverence, still trying to take it all in. Then she immediately wanted to know, "What kind of spy are you?"

"What kind?" he asked with uncertainty, "I hope the _good_ kind!"

"No, I mean, are you a spy-spy, or are you a work-related spy; like you're an accountant or a file person at spy headquarters."

He tried not to smile at the many times she used 'spy' in one sentence.

"I'm the real deal kind of spy, Amanda."

"You don't mean..." she looked cautiously about so as to not betray the secret, "...you're a _full-blown spy?"_

"Yep, I'm about as bloated a spy as one can be!" Lee teased, taking the subject very lightly now, "I'm the kind who is immune to poisonous injections, scales walls with hands tied behind my back, and can shoot three guns at once!"

Amanda's mouth dropped, "Oh my gosh! Really?"

He laughed, "No. Slight exaggeration there!" He then watched her face carefully for a reaction, "Are you okay with knowing who I _really_ am, Amanda?"

The way he was looking at her made it seemed as if her answer was important.

"I don't know... it's a lot to take in!" Amanda honestly answered, and then covertly looked around again before she whispered, _"So what happens now?"._

"What happens now?" he repeated, "Nothing."

"Nothing?!" Amanda looked shocked, "You drop a bombshell like that and then...nothing happens?"

"Nothing in terms of anything that concerns you."

"What about you, Lee? What happens to you?"

"Me? _Whyyy,_ I just continue on with my mission..."

"Which is?"

"If I tell you, Amanda, I'd have to...well, I wouldn't want to _kill you_ because you're too nice for that...but I may have to tickle you until you cry out in agony!" he winked.

Her mouth formed a straight line, "You're really having fun with all this, aren't you?"

He laughed, "I guess I am." Then he turned serious, "but all joking aside, Amanda, you can't tell anyone what I've told you."

"Who would I tell?" Amanda asked, "No one would believe me anyway!"

"And that's the way it should be," he seriously stated.

"So, this mission you plan on doing... is it dangerous?"

He shrugged, "We never think about it in terms of how dangerous it can get. It's just something we have to get done because it's vital to the interests of the country."

She tilted her head, "But aren't the people who care about you, _scared_ for you?"

Lee stated matter-of-factly, "That's why we don't form attachments. Amanda. It's easier that way."

"Oh." Amanda tried not to look disappointment.

"What about you?" he asked.

"What about me?"

"Will you be okay, despite no longer helping a spy with his research?"

She shrugged, "Oh, I'll be alright; my boys and their schedules will keep me busy enough."

"I'm glad, and actually, Amanda, that's a more important job."

"More important than saving the country?"

He smiled, "Much more important," he assured her.

 _It may be, but she didn't feel better knowing that._

 _Life for her would again return to a routine. Well, except for the party on Saturday._

 _And for Lee, his mission had just begun, starting with the party on Saturday_.

Her face looked hopeful, "Will I ever see you again?"

 _It was the only question Lee feared she would ask._

"I don't know how to answer that, Amanda," he truthfully answered, "I can only tell you that I will be totally concentrated on this mission so I won't be around until after its completion."

"Of course, I understand." She looked down on her lap.

Lee glanced at his watch. He needed to move on.

Because it _was_ all about the mission, right?

 _So why did he feel so bad and why didn't he want to leave?_

He forced himself to stand.

"Well then," Lee stated, "it's getting late."

She also stood, "It is."

They stood facing one another, each wondering when they would see each other again.

 _She looked so brave yet vulnerable,_ Lee thought. _For the short time he had known Amanda, she had totally fascinated him and stirred something deep inside of him. Amanda never looked lovelier with her warm eyes wide, her blushed cheeks and her trembling, enticing lips._

Meanwhile, Amanda was gazing at him as if she would never see him again. She seemed to be filling her mind with every detail of his face; the depth of his green eyes, the features of his face, the shape of his mouth.

And then before she could stop herself, her hand instinctively went up and lightly touched the side of his face. He instantly felt a spark upon contact as his breathing.

 _"Stay safe, Lee,"_ she softly stated.

Emotions stirred inside of Lee; for the first time in a long time, someone really cared about him as a person, not as a spy.

He swallowed hard, "I will."

Amanda awkwardly dropped her hand and took a step back.

"You better go now. There's a mission out there that you need to complete."

 _Without me,_ she thought miserably to herself.

Lee gave a slow exhale, "You're right, Amanda, I need to leave."

 _or I never will want to._

She half smiled, "At least now I can say I was involved in the spy world... even if it was only for a few minutes!"

" _But_ they were _very_ important minutes, Amanda," he jestingly reminded her.

"They were, weren't they?" she smiled back as her eyes sparkled like the first day he met her, "And I have to say that my time in _your_ world was as exciting as I imagined it would be!"

Lee felt a tug in his heart; he really will miss her, "I'm glad you feel that way; just know that your help was invaluable to me."

Amanda felt grateful tears surfacing as she choked out the words, "Take care, Lee."

Lee put on a brave front, "See you around, Amanda."

.

.

 _Annnnd next chapter... the mission begins at last!_

 _Please review_

.


	8. Chapter 8

The Accidental Meet Up

Chapter 8

The address for Hunter Rutherford's afternoon soiree was located in one of the most expensive and exclusive enclaves in all of Virginia.

Arriving at the address, Amanda drove her station wagon around the circular driveway and when she stopped her vehicle, two hired helpers immediately rushed to open the two doors on each side. Claudia was aided out of the passenger side by a worker, while Amanda was helped out as well on the driver side. As the valet drove her car away to be parked, classical music music could be heard wafting behind the perfectly manicured high shrubbery adjacent to the residence.

Amanda looked around in wide-eyed wonder as she surveyed the grounds leading up to the mansion.

"Oh, myyyy, this place is massive! And the garden is so beautiful, too!" she exclaimed, clearly impressed that the rich lived this style everyday.

"What do you expect from a rich shipping magnate?" Claudia evenly remarked, seemingly not affected in the least to Rutherford's opulent residence. She seemed to be in a bad mood as she made her way up the walkway.

Amanda looked worriedly over at her boss as they went up the stairs.

"Claudia, are you alright? Is something wrong?" Amanda asked. Her boss had been unusually quiet the entire drive over; something that rarely happened.

Her boss shrugged "Not really, although my stomach feels a bit queasy. Probably just nerves. Usually happens when I'm about to make an impression to a group of impressive people. But don't worry, I've already taken some antacid."

"Maybe next time you can place a heating pad or hot water bottle on the area that's bothering you," Amanda suggested.

"Oh? Does that usually work?"

Amanda smiled, "Maybe not, but at least the warmth will distract you from the pain!"

"I doubt it!" Claudia snapped, not amused by Amanda's remark in the least, "Besides, I'm not the kind of person who likes warmth!"

 _"I know."_ Amanda thought to herself.

"Anyway," Claudia remarked, as they reached the steps leading to the front door, "the best that can happen to me is that I meet an attractive man in there!" she then peered sideways at Amanda, "That's something YOU won't have to worry about anymore! You seemed to have hit the jackpot with Silverstone! The only thing he's missing is being rich!"

Luckily Claudia didn't see Amanda's blushing.

"As I've told you several times before, Claudia, " Amanda wanted to make it clear, "Mr. Silverstone and I were _never_ an item."

"Yeah, yeah, and there's some great _swampland_ you want to sell me, too!" Claudia stated, obviously not convinced.

"I'm not here to find a man anyway," Amanda reminded her, "I'm here to sneak a peek at some of Mr. Rutherford's first edition books and perhaps mingle a bit, too!"

"Fine, fine...look at some old, dusty books and mix with all the snobs you want, Amanda, but remember, no matter what you do, ACT as if you belong here. Don't you DARE embarrass me!"

"In other words, I shouldn't act my usual hillbilly self?" Amanda snarked back.

Claudia held her head up in a haughty manner, "I'm just saying that you are a representative of The Arlington Library! No need to get snide with me! After all, I AM your boss!"

Amanda sighed, hoping there would be better people to hang out with once she got to the party.

At last they reached the top of the stairs. They stood before an elaborate hand-finished wooden door with the etched windows. Amanda admired the craftsmanship as she rang the doorbell.

.

Meanwhile, the party was in full swing.

The back patio of the private mansion was filled with bright sunlight, blasting music, and sophisticated people mulling about.

An all-out gala pool party was happening underneath Hunter Rutherford's personal poolside pavilion. Everywhere Lee looked, bikinied women strutted past tables of seated bikinied women or swimming bikinied women. These numerous women seemed to outnumber even the guests.

It was Lee's kind of party.

He then took in the entire party ambiance. People dressed in casual elegance sat and stood in groups throughout. Manicured landscapes and exotic greenery flourished everywhere. Imported European design lattice-weaved furniture gave the stately backyard setting an airy, luxurious feel. Enhancing the opulence of the marble pool were ornamental carved statues of unknown goddesses.

Everything spoke of affluence and wealth.

Lee soon became distracted by a shapely blonde who had just exited the pool dripping wet, wearing a sexy red two-piece. With little effort, he was able to catch her eye. She brazenly gave him a good look over from head to toe. Appreciating Lee's appearance, she posed and pursed her lips seductively at him.

He approvingly smiled back at her, _I've still got it,_ he smugly thought.

From behind him, he heard feminine steps approaching the side of him. At the thought of meeting a new female arrival, he enthusiastically turned around and his smile immediately disappeared.

There stood Francine.

She was working undercover at the party, dressed in a server's uniform, with a short black vest over a short sleeve white blouse, as well as a black skirt and black pumps. She had a fake smile plastered onto her face.

"Care for a _weenie_ , Sir?" she'd asked Lee in her most sarcastic tone, as she held out a tray full of appetizers, "or perhaps a _shrimp ball_ is more suited to your taste."

Typical Francine insults.

Lee handily took the _largest_ of the tooth-picked appetizers from Francine's tray and popped it into his mouth.

"Good help is _so_ hard to find," he countered back to her, "and I see they weren't successful _this_ time, either."

She made a face, "Hardy har." Then she became all businesslike as she leaned in and lowered her voice, _"I found out that the prize is located in the library."_

'The Prize' referred to the notepad with the coded numbers.

Lee took another shrimp ball from the tray, " _Library. Got it. Any chance you can narrow its location to somewhere in the room? I need to get in and out as fast as I can!"_

It was then that a different server passed by with a tray of champagne and Lee snatched up a flute. Francine waited until the person was out of earshot before she continued.

 _"Don't expect me to do ALL your work for you!"_ she told him.

" _In other words, you don't know_ ," Lee decided, then smiled at a busty swimsuit beauty who was eying him from poolside.

Francine rolled her eyes, " _Enough with the bimbos already! Concentrate on the prize!"_

Lee casually sipped his drink, _"Believe me, I plan to concentrate on BOTH prizes!"_

She gave him a disgusted look, " _Pig!_ " .

" _Don't be such a wet rag_ , _Francine_ ," Lee jested, " _you have to admit that this party is certainly scenic!"_

" _Hmmph_!" Francine grumbled, " _I haven't seen this much plastic since my last Tupperware party!"_

" _Like you would ever use Tupperware!_ " Lee corrected her.

" _What do you think I use to store my leftover caviar_?"

 _"Elitist!"_

 _"Sexist!"_

They were doing their usual bantering, but somehow, Lee was only halfway enjoying it. Now that his mission was about to take place, he suddenly felt on edge, distracted. He wanted to find Rutherford in order for him to show Lee the antiques in the library. He needed to get inside that room!

Lee's face was solemn as he took another appetizer to keep Francine near him, _"Are you ready with your part in the plan?"_

" _Of course!_ " she assured him, " _The exploding microwave I have planned should distract Rutherford and his goons long enough for you to find the prize!"_

 _"You better hope so!_ "

His eyes scanned the crowd again, hoping to see Rutherford. At one point he noticed a couple in the distance chatting away when suddenly the man laughed at something the woman stated, and his mood changed to wistfulness.

 _When was the last time I laughed like that?_ Lee wondered, although he already knew the answer. The last time he laughed like that was days ago when he last saw Aman-

" _Dammit, these shoes are killing me!"_ Francine complained. She lifted one of her legs by the knee, " OW!" she grimaced as she readjusted her shoe and then put her four-inch heel back down, _"You don't know what it's like to go all day in heels; MEN have it so easy!"_

" _That's what YOU think,"_ Lee countered, " _I may appear my usual suave, charming self here, but I'll have you know that deep inside the soft, cushy depths of my shoe, one of my socks is miserably sliding off. Talk about torture!"_

 _"Jerk!"_ Francine mumbled as Lee chuckled, before she hobbled away to serve other guests.

.

It didn't take too long for two bathing suit beauties, aptly named Candi and Betsy, to find and surround Lee as he sat by himself underneath one of the umbrella tables by himself to view the activities. The bikinied-lovelies sat on each side of him.

Candi was playfully touching his hair, "You know what, Honey? YOU are absolutely _gorgeous,"_ she purred, "And if you were a fruit or vegetable, you'd be a _cute_ -cumber!"

Betsy was on the other side of Lee, and berated her friend, "Candi, stop with the dumb lines already! Can't you see this hunk is the intelligent type? Aren't you, Sweetie?" she asked as she swooned over his biceps and triceps.

Any other time, Lee would have welcomed such attention, but lately, he found his preference for women slowly evolving. Still, he wasn't about to _completely_ turn down such appealing diversions.

So he introduced himself and they did the same.

"So Mr. Lee Handsome, what do you do, job-wise?" Candi asked, sensually touching his chest.

"I'm an insurance agent," he informed her.

Candi looked disappointed, removing her hand, "Oh."

"Too bad." Betsy looked disinterested as well, turning away.

"... _AND_ a very successful one at that, since I own the company," Lee quickly bragged, "and I also drive a Porsche."

"Ohhhhhh! I saw the valet parking one!" Candi swooned.

"That one's yours?" Betsy looked impressed.

"I've always liked silver," Lee smiled, "which is why I invest in it as well. Along with gold, of course."

Both ladies sighed and gave him their utmost attention again.

Betsy then asked, "So is there ANYTHING interesting about being an insurance agent?"

"Oh, I think I can tell you both some _PRET-TY_ interesting stories," he casually claimed.

It was almost like old-times as Lee regaled made-up stories of his 'job'. It was a challenge to make one up as an insurance agent, but he was up for the challenge.

"...so I had once insured this Greek statue for a multi-millionaire," Lee explained, "he had proudly displayed this ancient centaur in a marble display. However, a newly hired maid wanted to make an impression with her boss, so when she noticed some yellow stains on the statue, she proceeded to use a steel wool to make it pure white again! By the time the mistake was discovered, she had already removed 2.5 millimeters from the surface, which destroyed the finer details of the statue. Her actions caused the price of the centaur to drop 2 million dollars!"

"Wow!" Betsy was obviously impressed while Candi looked confused.

"What's a centaur?" Candi asked.

Betsy groaned, "I apologize for my friend. Candi's IQ drops every time she puts on a bikini."

Candi gave her friend a look of disdain, "Betsy _thinks_ she's so smart because she completed community college!" she whined. Candi then positioned herself so that Lee would have a full view of her cleavage, "but you don't need further education, Lee, Honey, if you want to check out _my_ credentials..."'

Lee couldn't believe he used to find this type of interaction entertaining. All of this seemed so...frivolous now.

However, it was a way to kill time until he made his move to steal the coded numbers notepad.

He lifted his drink in a half-toast, "Ladies, I just want you to know that I'm certainly enjoying the enticing company surrounding me!"

"The pleasure is all _ours!_ " Betsy complimented him.

"Oooh! Enticing!" Candi purred, "I love a man with a BIG vocabulary!"

And they moved in even closer to him.

Lee was about to tell his _next_ story, when he happened to look up.

And noted the two new arrivals from across the way.

His mouth dropped.

Amanda!

(And maybe Claudia, but he wasn't sure since his eyes were only focused on Amanda.)

To Lee, she looked cool and refreshing in a simple, exquisite white halter dress.

She looked like an angel.

Meanwhile, Amanda had been taking an admiring scan of the lush patio when her eyes suddenly halted at the man sitting with the two hovering, bikinied-clad women.

Lee!

Amanda's heart lurched when she spotted the last person she expected to see here. She felt her cheeks getting warm as she tried to stop her inner flutterings.

The electric intensity that flashed between them had stopped Lee's breath in his throat. He was unable to tear his eyes from her and he was no longer aware of two females beside him as he slowly rose from his seat.

At the same time Amanda took a deep swallow, when she saw Lee getting up from his seat.

And her heart began pounding when she saw him take a step her way.

A myriad of thoughts was in Lee's head as he closed the gap between them. He couldn't believe what a great coincidence it was that Amanda was _here_ at the _exact_ same place that he had also happened to be and-

 _Wait. They were here at the same time, same place._

 _Was that REALLY a coincidence?_

Like most agents, Lee was trained not to believe in coincidences. Spies know everything happens for a reason, and if that's true... then what was Amanda's reason for being here...at the home of a _millionaire_?

He was so sure he had not given away any details of his mission to her when he had identified himself as a covert operative. Yet here she was. There was only one way she could've known that he would be here.

She had stalked him.

Lee was sure of it now. Amanda was shown to be full of curiosity and extremely clever, plus she had that interest of reading spy novels, so of course, she'd want to be involved in a true-life mission!

And here was her ONE opportunity to do just that!

 _It all made sense to him now._

His guts suddenly knotted in annoyance that she was here.

Irritation flashed in his eyes as he neared Amanda...

.

.

 _(As always, thank you for all the reviewers, and an extra thanks to all the guest reviewers)_

 _Please review_


	9. Chapter 9

Introducing Hunter Rutherford

Chapter 9

At Rutherford's party, Amanda's anticipation upon seeing Lee again lessened as she watched him approaching her.

Her heart anxiously skittered at the way his movements turned stilted and his jaw became rigid. It didn't take long for her to conclude that Lee was upset with her for some reason.

He now soon stood in front of her and Claudia, and it was Claudia who welcomed Lee.

"Lee Silverstone! What a pleasure to see-"

"- Claudia." he bluntly greeted with barely a glance at her.

His stormy eyes were totally focused on Amanda with an intensity that made her slightly cower.

"Mrs. King," he stated through gritted teeth, "Might I have a word with you?"

 _Why is he so upset with me?_ she wondered, _Well, whatever the reason, he has no reason to be!_

Amanda lifted her head, "Anything you have to say, Lee, you can say in front of my boss!"

"Oh noooo I can't!" he responded. Then abruptly he reached over and grabbed her by her elbow to lead her away.

Amanda's eyes widened, "Heyyyy! Whoa!..." she burst out struggling, but his grip was firm.

"Lee! Stop!" she commanded as he continued to pull her along, "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"We need to talk!" he growled.

He didn't stop until they ended up in a private area. It was situated next to a trellis, away from the party crowd. Amanda forcefully yanked her elbow away from him, looking miserable while Lee looked in all directions with watchful eyes. Then he positioned his back against the trellis so that he had a full view of the party. When he was satisfied that no one was within listening distance, he gave his full attention to her.

"Amanda, what the hell are you doing here?" he demanded to know.

And despite thinking that she was meddling with his work, his heart picked up its tempo at being with her again.

Amanda was seconds earlier they seemed to have made a connection across Hunter Rutherford's poolside area. The way he had been looking at her made her pulse race, yet his words told her he was upset. And the more she thought about it, the more she thought he had NO reason to treat her so rudely!

She narrowed her eyes, " _What_ kind of greeting is THAT?!" she demanded to know, her eyes flashing, "Just because you're a..." she looked covertly about, ".. _spy_ , that doesn't give you free rein to manhandle me!"

Again, Lee was struck by Amanda's spunk. This was not a demure little housewife, but a vibrant, intelligent woman who had strong opinions!

But that didn't mean he _wasn't_ annoyed by her antics!

"I wouldn't NEED to manhandle you if you wouldn't go around following me!" he argued back.

"FOLLOWING you! _Me_?" Amanda sounded indignant now, "For your information, _Buster,_ Mr. Rutherford is the library's BIGGEST contributor and he invites Claudia to his pool parties _annually,_ so _this_ time I decided to go with her since he had recently acquired a first edition book! Satisfied?"

Immediately Lee realized his mistake.

"Okayyy," he backed down, "so maybe I was slightly wrong in my assumption."

" _Slightly_ wrong?" Amanda repeated; she wasn't going to let him off so lightly, "Lee, you were acting downright crazy!"

He quirked a brow, "Crazy, eh?"

Amanda put her hands on her hips, "Yes!"

Somehow an infuriating Amanda was adorable. He stifled a smile.

"I am NOT crazy, Amanda! And if you continue to insist that I am... I might have to get off my unicorn to prove my point to you!"

"Your what?" her eyes were questioning, yet amused, "did you just say _your unicorn_!?"

He teased back, "You bet your _spiral-horn-in-the-middle-of-the-head_ I did!"

She reacted with a sweet chuckle that endeared her to him, "Heh."

He then looked apologetic, "Look, Amanda, I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that. Will you forgive me?"

She steadily watched his face for signs of sincerity and was satisfied.

"Apology accepted."

He let out a bracing breath, "Good."

"So, Lee, why _are_ you here?" she asked, "Are you..." she covertly looked about and then whispered, "... _on a mission?"_

He loved her serious expression whenever a mention of his job came up.

"I am." Lee honestly answered.

"And?" she breathlessly waited, wanting him to explain further.

He looked left, then right, _"Can you keep a secret, Amanda?"_

She solemnly affirmed, "I can, Lee."

"Great. So can I."

She looked embarrassed, "I'm being too nosy again, aren't I?"

"Let's just say..." he held out his opened hand, like he had been holding something, "...that I found your nose. It was in my business again!"

She laughed and he joined in.

And things seemed fine between them again.

Then as Lee looked off at a distance beyond Amanda, he saw an approaching figure.

He barely moved his lips, " _Amanda, heads up. Rutherford's coming our way!"_

Amanda panicked and whispered back, _"What should I do? Should we even be seen together? Should I leave?"_

" _Too late for that now_ ," Lee decided, as the shipping magnate took powerful strides to reach them, " _Just act._..oh, uh," Lee beamed at Hunter, who was now in front of them, "Mr. Rutherford! What a pleasure to see you again!"

Amanda twirled around to face her host.

Hunter Rutherford was in his late 40's and still possessed a full set of dark hair. He was quite distinguished-looking with his blue fitted suit, perfectly tailored of the finest silk with a white button down shirt underneath the jacket. A silk paisley folded pocket square completed his expensive look.

And his demeanor was of a typical millionaire businessman; brusque and to the point.

"Mr. Silverstone. Amanda." Hunter coolly responded, not even bothering with pleasantries, "Why are you two here alone in the garden, separated from the party?"

Lee improvised, "Actually, it was hard to talk over the big crowd at your party, and I had just met Mrs. King..."

"-just met me..." Amanda emphasized.

Lee continued, "Yeah, so we came here for some quiet conversation and to also view your grand garden on this side of your patio. Your garden is exquisite, by the way."

Hunter was not happy and ignored the compliment, "Fraternizing with one of my guests is _not_ why I invited you here, Mr. Silverstone!" he lectured, "I thought you were here to evaluate my antiques!"

"You are definitely correct about that, Mr. Rutherford," Lee assured him, "and I apologize for being...frivolous in my thinking."

And when Hunter turned his attention on Amanda, she shuffled a little closer to Lee, as if he could protect her.

Hunter Rutherford's detachment to the world had always intimidated Amanda. He intensely watched her through glacial eyes.

"And, Amanda..."

She gulped, "Uh, yes, Mr. Rutherford?"

"I thought _you_ were here to view my book collection, not to dally among my party guests!"

"Well, yes, I _am_ here for your book collection!" she now nervously rattled on, "Especially since I heard that you had acquired a first edition copy of 'The Great Gatsby'! In fact,in addition to taking a little peek of _that_ book, I would also LOVE to see some of the other books in your extensive collection, all which are located inside your-"

"-library!" Lee interrupted, wanted to beat her to the punch, " _Just_ the room I'd like to start off in when valuing your fine antiques, Mr. Rutherford!"

Amanda gave Lee a look which read _: I was going to ask for the library first!_

Lee shot her a look back which read: _You snooze you lose!_

Hunter looked doubtful, "What a coincidence that you both chose to see that room first! Had you two purposely planned on ganging up on me regarding my library?"

"NO!" they both insisted, and then exchanged nervous glances.

"We...barely know each other," Lee added, trying to smooth things over.

"...being that we just met," Amanda nervously reminded Rutherford.

"I believe you've mentioned that before, so we've been down that road already," Hunter evenly stated.

"You could show _both_ of us the library," Amanda quickly suggested, "it's the room I'm _most_ interested in, being that your wonderful collection of books is located there!"

"-aaand I've heard some of your _best_ antiques are located in that room, too," Lee reminded him.

Hunter looked from one to the other.

Perhaps it would be better to kill two birds with one stone.

So to speak.

"Follow me," he decided.

They walked back into the mansion and Hunter made of grand gesture of indicating the way to the library, "the library is down the hall, third door on the right."

When they had arrived, Hunter opened the door leading to his library, and Amanda was impressed with the size and scope of the place.

Two sets of built-in bookshelves ran the height and length of the wall opposite the couch. A gray marble fireplace separated the two sections of shelves. There was also an oak writing desk as well as an elaborate French designed sofa. The room spoke of expensive taste and a joy for reading.

"Oh, Mr. Rutherford, this is truly a book _heaven_ for readers!" Amanda commented.

For the first time, Hunter seemed pleased with her, "I'm glad you think so, Amanda."

Meanwhile, Lee had removed from his pocket his pair of white inspection gloves and put them on. Then he walked over to the antique-looking clock on the fireplace mantel. He recognized it from one of his photos. The clock case was solid mahogany with a reddish color finish. It had two columns with beautiful faux green marble. The sides consisted brass lion's head handles and it sat on 4 ornate feet. It did thrill Lee to see it first hand.

Hunter walked over to him, "Like what you see, Mr. Silverstone?"

"Every bit impressive as I thought it would be," Lee professionally stated, as he gestured, "I can see the intricately carved Eastlake details in the fine wood as well as the ornate bezel and dial."

"You do have an eye, Mr. Silverstone!" Hunter seemed to be warming up, "It's an Almandine veneer mantel clock, one of my favorite pieces in my collection!"

"Yes, indeed," Lee acknowledged, "and I gather this particular clock was produced sometime in the mid-1880's, one of the originals made by Seth Thomas, before he made a name for himself."

Hunter lifted a brow, "Yes, that's right. You almost sound as if you've done research in a library!"

Amanda almost choked.

Lee didn't skip a beat, "I take great pride in my knowledge of antiques, Sir."

While the men continued on, Amanda wandered away to the bookshelves. She began skimming the titles on the top two shelves of Rutherford's library. They were his fictional and nonfictional books. Hunter came over and then showed her the first edition book while Lee was inspecting an antique pen from Rutherford's writing desk.

The door to the library opened and in walked one of Hunter's body guards, a husky man with salt and pepper white hair. He whispered something in his boss' ear and for a moment Hunter's face turned dark, as if he were trying to control his anger.

After the body guard left, Hunter somberly informed Lee and Amanda, "There's another matter I need to attend to. I'd leave one of my men with you two, but I may need him to help neutralize the situation. So if both of you will follow me back to the party..."

 _Lee had been expecting the interruption. He knew Francine had planned to sneak into the kitchen and she would secretly place a bag of popcorn in the microwave oven. After setting the timer overly long, the popcorn would be expected to explode, thus scaring the staff and brilliantly creating a diversion, since the popping would sound like gunfire._

 _Obviously Francine was successful with her diversion tactic._

 _Now Lee had to convince Rutherford that he needed to stay in the library._

"I'd rather not leave the library at this moment, if you don't mind, Mr. Rutherford," Lee proposed, "Now that I've seen a part of your remarkable collection of antiques, I feel as though I'm on a roll now, and I wouldn't want to lose the momentum."

Hunter frowned at the idea of leaving him in one of his rooms, unsupervised, "No, that will not do."

"-it's alright, Mr. Rutherford," Amanda piped in, "I can remain here with Mr. Silverstone, if you like. I can use the time to peruse through your extensive library...perhaps I might even be able to suggest a more efficient way for you to re-organize your books!"

 _A librarian re-organizing his large array of books?_ Hunter thought that was a brilliant idea!

And knowing Amanda King like he did, he DID trust her.

"Very well," he decided, "Carry on with your respective duties. The matter I must deal with won't take very long."

Lee gave Amanda an appreciative glance before addressing Rutherford.

"Rest assure that I'll keep a very close eye at Mrs. King, here," Lee lightly jested as Amanda smiled.

"As well as with me regarding Mr. Silverstone," Amanda acknowledged.

But Hunter was not amused, "Just be sure any items you move are put back precisely as they were!"

 _Or there will be consequences to pay_ , he seemed to imply.

Then curtly turning, he left, closing the door behind him.

The minute the door was closed, Lee instantly got busy and hastily began searching, first by picking up, observing, and then putting back all the objects on Hunter's desk.

Amanda was curious as she walked to the desk, "Lee, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?," he rhetorically asked, as he now opened the first drawer and scrounge around its contents, "I'm looking for something."

"This is for the spy mission, isn't it?" she inquired with interest.

"Of course it is!" he distractedly admitted, hurriedly slamming another drawer before opening another. She stopped to watch him scrounge around the contents of the drawers. Then he began feeling the underside of the drawer.

"Can I help you in any way?" she volunteered, carefully watching him.

Lee paused, looking irritated that she wanted to be involved.

But then he realized that the library room was larger than he had imagined, with lots of places to hide a small notepad.

How would he be able to search the nooks and crannies of an entire room in mere minutes?

Perhaps he did need Amanda's help.

.

 _._

 _You won't want to miss the next chapter!_ :D

 _Please review._


	10. Chapter 10

Getting Caught

Chapter 10

Lee and Amanda were alone in Rutherford's library.

And she wanted to help him find the coded numbers.

He wanted to push aside her request, but in actuality, he could use her help. There were a lot of places in this room that the millionaire could have hidden the notebook and he only had minutes before Rutherford returned.

"Okay, here's how you could help, Amanda. I'm looking for more of those torn sheets of paper with the coded numbers written on them. The pages should be all bounded up together on one small notepad."

She tilted her head, "So if we find it, is this for a good cause? Is it important for national security?"

 _As usual, she wanted more information than necessary and he was rushed for time._

 _But since he already learned his lesson about lying to Amanda, he decided to tell her the important parts of the mission._

"It _is_ for a good cause, Amanda," he stated as he searched another drawer while still explaining, "In the world of shipping, smuggling drugs is rampant because of the ease of transporting them across ocean waters. For years Rutherford has been suspected of smuggling drugs in and out of the country via container ships to various locations on the first of every month, but we could never catch him because he transports his goods to so many international city ports."

"But you already have one of his coded sheets," Amanda pointed out, "isn't that enough evidence if you want to bring up charges against him?"

"That was an old sheet that one of our agents had recovered well after shipment had gone out ," Lee explained, as he checked another drawer, "and it's not enough evidence to bring to a DA because it wasn't in Rutherford's hands when we had taken possession of it. No, the best way to bring Rutherford up on charges is to catch the crew on his container ship smuggling the drugs red-handed, and that's why we need to find that coded notebook!"

Her response was immediate, "How can I help?"

Lee paused to reconsider. _If Hunter caught them in the act of rummaging through his tings, the mission could become dangerous for her. But he didn't want to ponder the consequences too long; he desperately needed to find that notepad!_

"You could help by checking the bookshelves to see if the coded numbers could be hidden inside or in between the books," he suggested, "The coded numbers would be written on a small notepad, the size of that torn sheet you had originally spotted."

Amanda listened carefully to everything Lee told her.

"Got it," she obediently stated as she quickly turned around to look through the books.

At first she began feeling the empty spaces between the books, and then figured that Rutherford would want to keep all the information together. She then proceeded to skim the titles of the books located at eye level, figuring that if Mr. Rutherford hid the coded papers inside a book, it would have to be in a book within easy reach.

Luckily, Hunter Rutherford was a very organized individual, with every book seemingly in its proper place.

She began by searching on the far side, where there were books with the writings of the great philosophers throughout history, from ancient Greeks to the modern era. After that section came books about politics, then atlases, history and biographies. She then had arrived back to Mr. Rutherford's fictional and nonfictional books. She re-checked the book titles again.

"That's weird," she stated. breaking the silence of the room.

Lee had been checking the cushions underneath the brown tufted sofa. He stopped and looked over at her, "What's that?"

'This book here has been misplaced; it doesn't belong here at all."

She took the book from the shelf and studied the cover.

The book titled _The Art of Mixology_ that had been shelved between a political and history book.

 _Perhaps,_ Amanda internally reasoned, Hunter _Rutherford had hidden the coded numbers sheets in here, knowing no one would ever be interested in opening this book, due to its nonentity subject matter._

When she flipped the book open, excitement thrummed through her at her discovery and made her gasp in delighted surprise.

"Leeeee!"

He had just finished checking under the sofa and turned her way, "What?!"

"Come look! I think I may have something here!" she waved him towards her.

.

 _Meanwhile, the party at Hunter Rutherford's backyard patio continued on._

 _Earlier, Francine had noted when Rutherford had taken Lee and Amanda inside the mission. Immediately after they disappeared, she snuck into the kitchen, intent on getting a huge quantity of popcorn to explode in the microwave._

 _Although it wouldn't look suspicious for her to be going in and out of the kitchen, she hoped none of the kitchen staff had spotted her anywhere near the microwave. She then set the timer to give herself enough time to escape. The assumption would be that the popcorn would sound like gunshots being fired somewhere in the kitchen._ T _hough not the greatest of ideas, it would make a great delaying tactic._ _With her plan initiated, she rejoined the party outside._

 _She had been inconspicuously serving a tray of appetizers to a foursome, when she glanced up and noted Rutherford and his men rushing urgently into the kitchen._

 _She hoped she gave Lee enough time._

 _It didn't take long for some of Rutherford's men to rushed out of the kitchen again and reappear out on the patio. They began scanning the party crowd, as if they were searching for someone in particular._

 _Not a good sign, Francine internally thought, her heart now beating at a faster rate as she walked over to the next group of guests, hoping to be as inconspicuous as possible._

 _After serving them, she was about to head over to the next party when the man with the salt-and-pepper hair stopped her._

 _"You," he identified her._

 _Francine could feel sweat soaking through her blouse, but she pretended to look more bothered than alarmed._

 _"Yes? What is it you want?" she nonchalantly asked, her heart now pounding so loud she could barely hear herself speaking._

 _"I want a word with you," his eyes held no emotions as he jerked his head towards the mansion, "we'll talk in the den."_

 _"Hey, I'm on the clock here!" Francine complained, "Can't you just tell me what you want and then go?"_

 _He shook his head, "No."_

 _Francine faked frustration, "What is so important that I have to leave my post?"_

 _He ignored her question as his voice became threatening._

 _"Enough of this. Come with me NOW. You don't have a choice."_

 _Nope, not a good sign at all, she miserably thought._

 _._

 _._

Back inside the library, Lee eagerly stopped his own search and went over to Amanda.

"Lee, look at this!" she stated excitedly.

She passed the opened mixology book to Lee and he peered inside.

The pages of the book had been glued all together and then they were cut to form a perfect rectangular hole; like a secret compartment.

"It's empty!" Lee announced, his tone filled with annoyance at the unexpected letdown.

"Yes, but this book _definitely_ held something secret for Mr. Rutherford!" countered Amanda excitedly, "And what could be more secret than the coded numbers notepad!"

"If the coded numbers were in here, it's not there any longer!" Lee snapped, as he slammed the book in frustration.

"Well, _excuse_ me!" Amanda testily stated.

" _Damn!_ " Lee frustratingly murmured to himself, "If the coded notebook isn't in here, where is it?"

"Maybe it was in here, until just recently," Amanda reasoned, "There would be no reason why Mr. Rutherford would take the notepad out of this book in the middle of a party, so you know what I was thinking? Maybe someone _else_ stole it _during_ the party!"

"Well, it wasn't us!" snapped Lee, wondering how to proceed next.

Suddenly his ears perked up, "Wait! What's that sound?"

"What's sound?"

They listened intently and sure enough, they heard footsteps approaching.

" _Lee! You need to put the book back!"_ Amanda alarmingly exclaimed _._

They heard some muffled talking outside the door.

Lee turned around and quickly jammed the book back in the opened space. He then realized it was too late for him to move back across the room, but it would look suspicious with him standing next to Amanda.

So he decided to do what he does best.

Without warning, his arm slid around Amanda's waist and he pulled her towards him.

He heard her gasp.

"What-"

" _Kiss me!_ " he urged in a whispery, husky tone.

His face so close now she could smell his musk scent.

Amanda eyes went wide with trepidation while her heart beat pounded at a staccato rhythm.

"What? NoooOOO! I will NOT-"

But Lee had switched into action mode as he quickly covered his lips over hers, stifling her protest.

His mouth sealed onto hers and instantly warmth spread to the lower part of his body. While his body felt desire, his mind felt pleasure when he realized Amanda had stopped struggling and her body went limp as she instinctively parted her lips.

Now encouraged, Lee dipped his tongue inside her mouth and deepened the kiss as if he wanted to devour her.

Passions stirred inside of Amanda and she felt heady as the kiss lengthened. Her body was trembling with an indescribable craving as her hands instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck while her body yield into his. He was kissing her long and hard, and she could barely take a breath as yearnings emitted throughout her entire body.

 _Distracted, they were unaware of the sound of the door opening..._

As the kiss deepened, a maelstrom of emotions whirled inside both of them. Lee knew the instant her ardor matched his and his desire grew. He felt as if-

"WHAT THE **HELL** IS GOING ON IN HERE?"

Upon hearing Rutherford's loud outcry, Lee abruptly dragged his lips off Amanda's. Quickly separating from her, he had forgotten that he was playing a role as his head was still spinning while heat burned erratically in his chest.

Next to him, Amanda was awkwardly adjusting her hair. She was having trouble catching her breath as her heartbeat continued to race while her lips quivered with unspent desire.

Meanwhile Hunter Rutherford stood before them with a heavy scowl on his face.

"HOW DARE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY HOSPITALITY!" he berated them both.

"Oh! Mr. Rutherford!" Amanda felt her cheeks burning hot, "I was just, uh...showing Mr. Silverman one of your books on antiques...and... and when I was putting the book back on the shelf, you surprised us with your sudden entrance!"

"Mrs King," Rutherford snarled through gritted teeth, purposely calling her by her formal name, "That's not ALL you did with your wanton behavior!"

"Hey, now, whoa, _whoa_...slow down there, Mr. Rutherford!" Lee interjected, "There's no need to get so riled up at Mrs. King! It's not as if we were doing anything nefarious in here... _like stealing, for instance_! It happened just as Mrs. King had described. She was showing me one of your books, and I was standing so close to her that I thought, _why not_? I made my move...and she accepted it! Sure, we may have gotten a little carried away, but...you know how it is when we men are around a pretty woman! You yourself have many beauties out there that I'm sure you've found _quite_ challenging, and between you and me, what could be more challenging than going after a straight-laced librarian? "

Hunter continued to stand there, contemplating, a serious look on his face.

Amanda's cheeks were red as she tried to forget how she melted in Lee's arms and yet wanting to get out of this awkward situation.

"Believe me, Mr. Rutherford," she fumbled about, "it was a foolish thing to do...but it won't happen again!"

"It won't happen again?" Lee sounded incredulous as he spoke to Rutherford, "The little lady likes to break hearts, doesn't she? But I have a feeling she'll be wanting to talk 'antiques' with me again soon enough, if you get my drift!" and then he followed up his words with a wink Amanda's way.

Amanda began fuming _. First she was a straight laced librarian and now he was implying that she's...a floozy!_

No longer play acting, she scowled at Lee with thinned lips, eyes flashing.

She was tempted to reach out to slap Lee when she heard some chuckling coming from Rutherford and turned his way.

Hunter was shaking his head in amusement, with admiration in his tone as he told Lee, "Mr. Silverstone, you are quite the charmer, aren't you? If only I were 15 years younger and had your looks!"

"Well, for me, it's all in a day's work!" Lee smugly exclaimed, bonding with the millionaire, "Anyway, getting back to business, which is why we are here after all, Mr. Rutherford, I think I've seen enough here, and again, let me reiterate that your collection is quite impressive! I'll be able to give you my quote in the next two days!"

"That'll be perfectly fine," Hunter stated, his tone once more very businesslike.

Amanda stared in shock at the two men. _How they switched from one topic to the next without a second thought simply astounded her. She'll never understand men!_

 _What she didn't realize was that Lee's own heartbeat had just returned to normal over the kiss._

He acted as if nothing was wrong as he crooked his arm to her, "Then I say, it's time we go out and enjoy some more of Mr. Rutherford's wonderful party; wouldn't you say so, Amanda?"

Amanda's lips were still pursed in frustration, but she had to admit, Lee had managed to get them out of a tough situation. As she peered over at Lee, she could feel Rutherford's eyes boring into her.

She took Lee's arm, trying to forget the sensations he had earlier caused in her with that mind blowing kiss.

"I think I am _quite_ done with your _all_ of your antiques, Mr. Silverstone!" she stated, her head held high, "and yes, I'd like to leave!"

From the side of her, she heard Rutherford amused chuckling again.

As Lee led her out, he felt Amanda's hand trembling on his arm. He didn't know if it was from the close call or from the kiss itself. He laid his other hand over hers. She initially stiffened, but when he squeezed her hand to let her know she had done a good job, he felt her entire body relaxed. He was further relieved when she looked up to give him a trembling smile back.

They were near the exit door when Rutherford called out her name.

"Oh, Mrs. King..."

Upon hearing Rutherford's callback, Amanda's legs almost gave way, they felt so rubbery. If Lee hadn't been holding onto her, she would have collapsed. Momentarily shutting her eyes to gather up her courage again, she opened them and then turned around slowly.

"Y-Yes, Mr. Rutherford?"

"My bartender has just arrived and his mango smoothies are now available at the patio bar," he nonchalantly stated, "it's a specialty of his. I'd highly recommend one for you."

Amanda took a deep breath in to gather up her newfound fortitude.

"Of course, Sir, thank you," she acknowledged, as she and Lee re-joined the party again.

.

.

.

 _Please review_


	11. Chapter 11

New Troubles

.

Chapter 11

The party was still going full blast when Lee and Amanda re-joined the festivities.

Lee was slowly slurping his mango smoothie as he across from a quiet Amanda. To break up the silence, he tried to make light of the situation by amusingly holding up his drink for her to see.

"You know, Amanda, these mango smoothies are the greatest!" he exclaimed, "It's creamy and _very_ tropical! If you want, I can get one from the bartender for you. You won't be sorry!"

Amanda couldn't believe it _: THIS is what he wanted to say to her after everything that just happened in the library?_

She slowly turned towards him, a look of astonishment on her face.

"Nooooo, I do NOT want a mango smoothie!" she insisted, stubbornly folding her arms.

Lee had a look of bewilderment as he put aside his drink; it was so unlike Amanda to be so short with him.

"You're upset about something, aren't you?" he asked.

"Great deduction there, Sherlock!" she exasperatedly responded, "And yes, Lee, I _am_ upset about something!"

He looked abashed. Lee realized he would have to ask the six words he dreaded to ask _any_ female.

"You want to talk about it?"

She leaned in, her eyes dark like storm clouds, "I _can't_ believe, Lee, that you're talking about mango smoothies when you and I both know what happened _between_ us in the library!"

 _Oh that._ _The kiss._ He was afraid she might want to discuss that. _Although he had been surprised at his own reaction when they had kissed, he figured it was because his emotions had run high due to the danger factor. Maybe his adrenaline had run amok? What else could it be?_

"What happened, Amanda, is that we," he then corrected himself, "uh, that is, _**I**_ kissed you to get out of a sticky situation. What's the big deal? It happens all the time in the spy world!"

"Really?" her lips thinned, "So you _kiss_ your partner whenever you're in a tight situation? What if you're working with a man?"

"Wait, whoa, _whoa,_ slow down there, Amanda... let's not even go there! Ever! And just to be sure that we are on the same page here, I do NOT work with a partner!"

She pointed an accusing finger at him "...and _you,_ Buster _,_ are changing the subject on purpose!"

"I'm not! Just...let me make my point!" he argued, "A-man-da, we are NOT partners. I work alone. Period. And when we were earlier in the library with Rutherford fast approaching, I felt I had to get us out of a potentially threatening situation and fast. I had been trained that there are glimpses of a solution in every bad situation, so my response that time was to distract and play up to Rutherford's ego. So despite you evidently _hating_ me for what I did, you have to admit, the strategy worked!"

Amanda paused; he had a point.

 _They were out of that mess._.. _and besides, she didn't want to belabored the point since she_ _...rather enjoyed it..._

 _...or even more than just enjoyed it..._

Amanda unfolded her arms and became more civil, "I don't actually hate you, Lee, and I suppose your solution _did_ work, but still, I don't appreciate you involving me in situations without my permission!"

 _She had a point, but wow, talk about destroying a sensual memory!_

Lee had certainly enjoyed the kiss and he could tell that she had, too. So a part of him didn't understand why she would be so upset.

 _But she obviously was and he knew he needed to make it right._

"Look, Amanda if I could take it back, I would, but I can't. I apologize for acting so, uh, _assertively_ with you. I just reacted to get us out of there. And truthfully, you have been handling yourself so well throughout all of this, that I sometimes forget you're not a trained agent!. Believe me, the kiss won't happen again!"

"Oh." Amanda blushed, now embarrassed with his compliments.

And she also felt disappointment upon hearing that it would never happen again. Even with her limited experience, she knew the kiss they shared was... earth shattering. Joe or Dean had _never_ been able to light the fire that Lee Silverstone had ignited in her!

 _But... maybe HE hadn't felt as strongly about the kiss._

 _Still, he HAD apologized AND he even gave her credit for handling herself well._

"I'm not upset with you, Lee," she tiredly stated, "...at least, not anymore. I suppose I just got overly emotional over the situation. It's going to take some time for me to understand how this...this spy things works."

"Well, this _spy thing_ you're referring to just means thinking fast on your feet."

"It wasn't your _feet_ that reacted," she quietly reminded him.

He smiled, "Yeah, good point," and then instantly looked contrite, "but even so, we're good for now, right?"

"We're good," Amanda nodded, glad the topic was over for now, "but there's something _else_ I need to talk to you about."

Lee was just glad their initial conversation was over with, "Sure, shoot."

"It's just..." She then leaned in and whispered with a sense of urgency, _"Shouldn't we be leaving now?_ _We were almost caught stealing those coded numbers! What if Mr. Rutherford checked the mixology book after we left and noticed the coded numbers gone? He'll immediately suspect us!"_

He causally took another sip of his smoothie, as he watched the party, "Relax, Amanda. Act normal. Pretend you're enjoying the party. Any sudden departure from the usual will indicate guilt...Are you _sure_ you don't want a mango smoothie? The bartender sure makes a mean one! You could even have it shaken or stirred!"

"No, Lee, once again, I do NOT want a mango smoothie, shaken, stirred, or...or even pulsed! I wouldn't take one now if it had alcohol in it!" Amanda firmly stated.

"You don't drink alcohol," Lee pointedly reminded her

"I don't, but even if I did I would... _wait!_ How did you kno-.." Amanda's eyes narrowed, "Lee! Stop researching me!"

Lee chuckled, just as another attractive swimsuit model came up to his side.

"Welllll," the beauty cooed to Lee, _"You're_ certainly a sight for sore eyes!"

Amanda mumbled under her breath, _"Maybe you have Pinkeye."_

The woman shot Amanda an annoyed glance, " _What?_ "

Amanda quickly looked away.

"Hellooo there!" Lee flirted back as the beauty clung onto his arm "and what time do YOU have to be back in heaven?"

From his side he heard Amanda give a snort.

The bikinied lovely playfully asked, "You like what you see, Sugar?"

"I sure do," Lee stated, giving her the once over, "but what I would really love to see right now is the backside of _you_ taking a dip in the water for _me_!"

She giggled as she fingered his nose, "Sure thing, Sweetie. I hope you enjoy watching _me_ getting all _wet_..."

"You know I will!" he promised with a coy wink.

The beauty responded, "See you after my dip, Gorgeous!"

The curvaceous woman moved on as Lee watched her every departing sway. At one point she looked over one shoulder at Lee, giggled, and gave him a flirtatious wave.

Lee lifted his mango smoothie in a return salute.

Amanda commented afterwards, " _That_ was annoying!"

"Like I said, act normal...and that's me acting normal!" he jested, and then made a point, "At least I got rid of her quickly without calling attention to _us_ , didn't I?" he rhetorically asked.

Amanda felt better upon hearing that.

"So, what happens next?" she wanted to know, as she nonchalantly looked out overt the party crowd.

When he didn't answer, she turned his way in time to see a big scowl on his face.

"Lee?" she questioned.

But Lee was no longer aware of Amanda, the blasting music, the hard bikinied bodies or the luxurious setting. His watchful eyes was scanning the entire party scene, including the pool area.

Then before Amanda could ask what was the matter, she heard him mumble a name under his breath.

 _"Francine..."_

 _Oh, another one of his bathing bimbos._ Amanda internally moaned.

"So it's 'Francine' now?" she irritably asked.

But he didn't seem to hear her as he continued to scan the area.

Her annoyance gave way to concern now. She could see that Lee's senses were on high alert and Amanda knew him well enough to know when he was very worried.

"Lee? What's wrong?"

He continued to scan while mumbling, " _She's missing_."

Amanda tilted her head, "You mean this Francine?"

Lee kept a watchful eye as he answered absentmindedly, "Yes. She's working with me on this mission."

Amanda's eyes widened.

"I thought you said you don't work with a partner!"

But Amanda also looked around, although she had no idea who she was looking for.

"I never said she was a partner. Francine's a co-worker."

Amanda tried to sound hopeful, "Maybe she's on a break."

"Believe me, Amanda, when Francine's on a mission," he stated with certainty, "she never leaves her post. _Never_."

He surveyed the patio one more time and then stood. He made a decision.

"I'm going back inside the mansion to find her."

Amanda also stood, "I'm going in with you," she volunteered.

"Oh nooo, you don't! " he ordered, "You're staying _right her_ e!"

"But I can be your _lookout,_ " she claimed, "That's a term that spies use, right?"

"I think the term _lookout_ is used more often in _bank robberies_."

"Don't try and distract me with words, Lee! I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not!"

Lee knew that tone. It meant she wouldn't stay put, even if he put superglue on her shoes.

Giving a heavy sigh, he acquiesced, "O _kay,_ but you better follow my instructions and do whatever I say!"

"...whatever you say."

"And remember, Amanda, stay close behind me!"

She nodded, "Close behind you," she obediently repeated.

 _She'll probably end up doing the opposite,_ he frustratingly concluded.

With the classical music still playing in the background, Lee, along with Amanda, walked across the spacious backyard patio, past the guests and bikinied women, to the door leading back to the mansion.

He quietly slipped in and urged Amanda to do so, too.

With the door closed behind them, the party noise was now muffled.

They continued down the hallway. At one point, he abruptly stopped to listen for any unusual noises...and Amanda ran right up onto his back.

 _"Ow!"_ he reacted _,_ and then irritably whispered _,_ _"Stay close, Amanda, but not THAT close!"_

 _"I can't help it if you don't have back taillights!"_ she complained back.

Lee silently reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve a small handgun and faced forward. From behind him, Amanda gasped.

 _*Hnnhh!*_

Her note of surprise caused Lee to whip his head back to make sure she was alright, " _What? WHAT?"_

" _You have.._." she pointed at his weapon, _"...a g-gun."_

He gave her a frustrated look, " _Yeah. Guns and spies go hand and hand, if you recall from your spy novels_."

Amanda pursed her lips at his insinuation that she lacked experience in the spy world. Even though it was true.

 _"So, are you going to..."_ she swallowed hard, ".. _shoot to kill?"_

 _"No, Amanda,... I'm going to shoot in order to stay alive! Now, come on!"_

Putting his index finger to his lips to quiet her, he listened attentively to any sounds within the confines of the mansion, trying to hear anything amiss. He and Amanda stepped lightly down another slightly darkened hallway with high ceilings. Holding the gun high in his hand, he was prepared to aim and shoot if the situation called for it.

Everything seemed as it should, and yet...

...the hairs on the back of Lee's neck stood on ends the more he traveled down the hallway. He passed two rooms, peeking in, but nothing looked out of place.

 _So where was Francine?_

Amanda commented, _"It's so quiet, you could hear a pin dro_ p."

 _"Yeah, let's just hope we don't hear a body drop_ ," he retorted back.

They came to the next closed door.

Lee quietly opened it and took a quick glance in. It was the obviously the den. The room was decorated with cherry mahogany paneled walls. Paintings of old sailing ships were framed under portrait lamps, and it also contained a heavy oak desk with a huge antique wooden globe in the center of the room.

Lee was ready to shut the door and move on when something unusual caught his eye and he poked his head in further to get a better look. It took a split second for his eyes to adjust to the darkened corner.

Oh, this did not look good.

He made out a blonde female tied up in a chair, her mouth gagged and her head drooped to one side. Her eyes were closed and she appeared unconscious.

" _In here!_ " he announced to Amanda in a low tone.

Holstering his gun he entered and immediately went over to check on the female while Amanda quietly shut the door behind them.

It was definitely Francine who was tied up. Lee did a quick examination. Judging from the injection mark on her neck, it was obvious that she had been drugged. He felt Francine's pulse. At least she was still breathing.

With her back against the door, Amanda looked wide-eyed at the unconscious feminine form.

"Ohhhh Lee, is that your Francine?"

He dishearteningly sighed, "Yeah, it's her."

He was wondering what to do about Francine when he heard a frantic warning from Amanda.

"Oh my gosh! Leeeee! I hear footsteps headed this way!"

.

.

 _Please review_


	12. Chapter 12

The More the Merrier?

Chapter 12

Sure enough, masculine whisperings and footsteps could be heard coming from the hallway and it was getting louder.

Lee pointed to the huge oak writing desk located in the middle of den.

" _Get behind there!_ " Lee whispered, as he gestured to the desk.

Amanda did as she was told. Sliding the chair with the rolling wheels out, she crouched into the empty space underneath the desk, while Lee crawled in after her.

They heard the door opening and knew the men were standing at the doorway. Lee was hoping whoever was out there, might just give a quick look-see into the room and then go on their way. But instead, he heard one of them cocked his gun.

Still crouched over, Lee could feel Amanda's trembling body. He kept his arm protectively around her huddled form, willing her not to be scared, that she was safe as long as she was with him.

Up until now, it had been fun entertaining a housewife so interested in his spy life.

But now he regretted getting her involved in this mess.

 _What was he thinking?_

"I'm telling you, Lester, I saw them come this way!" one guy was saying, "but I don't see a sign of them now. Maybe they left."

The other one sounded annoyed, "Don't be stupid, Jean Luc! They must be _somewhere_ in the house!"

"Should we split up then?" asked Jean Luc.

There was a pause.

"No time... we've got this other problem to deal with; we need to get rid of that nosy blonde chick first."

Jean Luc sounded nervous, "You mean, s-shoot her?"

"No, you idiot!" Lester impatiently shot back, "I mean we dump her at the side of the road, far away from _her_ e! And you better keep your trap shut about this to bossman, if you know what's good for you!"

"Okay, okay!" Jean Luc sounded exasperated, "But I'll do the driving and YOU dump her!"

A rough shoving sound could be heard, "Just get in there!" Lester commanded the other man.

They heard Jean Luc stumbling in first.

 _Lee knew he could take out one, but he wasn't sure if he could take out both before the bad guys could get a shot off._

 _And on top of that worry, he had Amanda with him and must protect her at all costs._

From listening to his footsteps, Lee could make out that Lester had also entered, shutting the door behind him. Judging from his footsteps, he was heading towards them. Amanda's eyes widened in fear when Lester stopped just short of the oak table, on the other side of them.

"You go over and check on blondie," Lester ordered his man.

They next heard footsteps walking towards the other side of room.

"She's still out cold," he informed Lester.

"Good," Lester stated, "By the time she comes to, she'll be a rumpled mess on the side of the road with no memories about _any_ of this!"

Meanwhile from behind the oak table, Lee had decided on his plan. He motioned to Amanda that when the opportune time came, he was going to jump up over the desk for a surprise attack.

Amanda understandably nodded.

Then to Lee's horror, she signaled HER plan.

Amanda made a yanking motion with her hands, indicating she planned to pull the guy, next to the oak desk, under by his legs.

Lee vigorously shook his head and mouthed the word, "NO!"

She furiously nodded 'Yes!' back.

It was useless. There was no way Lee could stop her AND the men.

Amanda now crawled further inside the opening in the desk space for a better position. She knew timing was everything. Watching Lester's shoes, she saw it turning this way and that, as if the guy was giving the room one thorough sweep.

Lester then took another forward step until his pants legs were right up against the desk.

It was time for her to strike.

She nodded to Lee.

Lee thought Amanda was the bravest civilian he had ever met.

Reaching her arms out, Amanda grabbed hold of Lesters's legs, and with her eyes shut, she gave one big powerful HARD jerk, pulling the legs towards the desk with all her might.

"Yeeeoww!" yelled out a surprised Lester, as a big THUD could be heard, and he fell hard on his back against the floor of the den.

"Lester!" yelled Jean Luc, immediately running over to find out what happened.

At the same time, Lee sprang up and slid up on the desk, in attack mode.

Jean Luc was caught unaware as Lee thrust out his legs and kicked Jean Luc in the stomach.

"Oooompf!" Jean Luc stumbled backwards, the gun dropping from his hand. Lee skidded off the desk to do further damage.

By that time, however, Jean Luc had already recovered, since the air had only been knocked out of him. Without a second thought, Jean Luc immediately retrieved his weapon and dashed out of the room to save himself.

The coward.

Getting off the desk, Lee silently cussed himself out for letting the man escape, as he went to shut the door.

When he came back, Amanda was hovered over Lester as he cried out in pain.

"OwOoooOwwwww!"

"Lee!" Amanda sounded distressed and pointed downward, "What do we do about _him_?"

Lee looked down at the man Amanda had courageously pulled down onto the floor.

Lester was laid out flat on the floor, continually moaning, while holding onto his back. Lee bent down to retrieve Lester's gun and jammed it into his waist.

He then grabbed the guy by the scuff of his neck, lifting Lester's face up to his face.

"Hey Pal, you better stop your moaning or _I'll give you something to_ _ **really**_ _moan about!_ _Are you the one who stole the coded notepad?"_

"Ow! Let go! Ow!" whined Lester in pain, "My back! It HURTS! That ballsy chick broke my damn back!"

" _Who CARES about your back?"_ Lee responded back, " _I'm not your chiropractor!_ "

"Lee!" Amanda's tone sounded as if she were berating him, "Maybe he won't respond to such meanness!"

Lee scowled, " _Really?_ I'm being too _mean?_ "

Ignoring his cold stare, Amanda knelt down and tried to give the bad man her most understanding look.

"I'm sorry if you're feeling pain, Mr. Lester," she sympathetically told him, "and we promise to release you, but first, you need to answer this man's questions," she sweetly stated, indicating Lee.

The injured man gave back a disdained look, "Go to hell, Lady!"

Amanda looked offended by the man's rudeness. Glaring back at him, she then turned towards Lee.

"He's all yours."

The man looked wide-eyed and scared.

"No! Lady! I-"

"-there's only _one_ language this man understands!" Lee declared. He jammed the barrel of the gun hard against Lester's cheek.

" _I'm going to ask you again and if you want to keep both cheeks, you'd answer me!"_ warned Lee in a deadly whisper, _"Did you steal the coded notepad?"_

The man vigorously shook his head.

"You're LYING!" Lee angrily responded, cocking his weapon.

Lester shut both eyes, not ready to face the end, "Go ahead and shoot then! Better to die quick like this, than face what _he_ will do to me!"

" _He_ who?" Lee demanded to know, "You mean, Rutherford?"

Lester opened one eye, "I'm not saying nothing more!"

Before they could continue, however, they heard some female's voice yelling coming from the hallway.

"Amanda, yooo-hoooo! A-MAN-DA!"

Claudia's shouting could be heard through the walls of the hallway.

"NOW what?" Lee bitterly stated as he dropped Lester to the ground with a thud and a loud grunt of pain could be heard.

"Sounds like Claudia...I'll be right back," Amanda stated, heading towards the door.

She opened the door slightly, poked her head out at the hallway, and spotted Claudia.

" _Claudia!"_ Amanda cried out in a loud whisper, " _Psst! Over here!"_

When Claudia turned, Amanda quickly waved her over, before anyone else could hear the yelling.

Claudia came over and indignantly stood on the other side of the door, her hands on her hips.

"There you are, Amanda!" Claudia furiously stated, "Where've you been?! You and Lee disappeared completely from the party and then I see this guy come running out of the mansion like a bat out of hell! I'm sooo _done_ with this party! And my head hurts! Just take me home!"

Amanda nervously licked her lips, "I can't right now, Claudia, but I will soon; I promise! Alright?"

Meanwhile, from inside the den, Francine was coming to and began moaning.

Claudia, unfortunately, heard the sound.

"Who's in there with you?!" Claudia demanded to know, trying to look over Amanda's shoulder.

"No one you know!" Amanda quickly responded back, holding the door firm, "A server was injured earlier is all, but she'll be alight...can we just meet up later, please, Claudia?"

"You have Lee Silverstone in there, don't you?" Claudia accused her, and then she took a second look at Amanda, "Of course you do! You look even messier than usual! I knew it, _I knew it_! There IS something going on between you two! Or should I say among the THREE of you!" she decided when she recalled the moaning coming from the other female, "And _really_ , Amanda, a _threesome_? Could you _be_ any more sordid?"

"No, Claudia, there isn't a _threesome,_ _twosome, or even a onesome_ happening in here!"

Amanda panicked when she felt the door being pushed, " No wait, Claudia! You CANNOT come in!"

"I...have...to... see... _this_!" Claudia insisted, pushing harder as Amanda held on from the other side.

They both struggled for control of the door.

With Claudia winning.

And when she forced herself into the room, she stood in complete shock at what she saw...instantly noticing Lee's disheveled look, an injured man on the ground, and the blonde server tied up and gagged, her head lolling to the other side.

All color drained from Claudia's face.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Amanda looked very concerned, "Claudia, I know how this looks, but I can explain-"

And before Amanda could say more, she noticed how Claudia's eyes seemed to go to the back of her head. Then without warning, Claudia's body suddenly became limp like a rag doll as she crumbled to the ground.

"Leeee!" Amanda panicked as she stooped over Claudia's body, "Claudia's fainted!"

" _Really?_ Cuz I'm dealing with an injured thug over here and a semi-conscious, tied-up Francine over there. Don't you think Claudia's fainting is the _least_ of our problems?" he sardonically asked.

As if THAT wasn't enough, they heard approaching footsteps.

"I hear other people coming!" Amanda anxiously announced.

" _More_ danger? _Why not?_ " Lee quipped.

Hunter Rutherford burst into the room, with Jean Luc next to him, his gun pointed in Lee and Amanda's direction.

Hunter's eyes bugged out at the two familiar people laid out on the ground and his server tied up across the room.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" he demanded to know in angry befuddlement.

Amanda bravely stood in front of Rutherford.

"We're terribly sorry _again_ to interrupt your party, Mr. Rutherford," Amanda apologized, "You see, I was searching for the ladies room and Mr. Silverstone had accompanied me down the hallway when we heard some noise and to make a long story short..."

Lee quickly intervened, "...I had captured the elusive international thief at last!"

Hunter looked totally baffled, _"WHAT?"_

The injured Lester groaned out, "Ow!Huh?"

Amanda tilted her head.

"The unconscious woman is a criminal antiques thief wanted in 10 countries!" Lee explained, sounding as if it were obvious.

Hunter incredulously stared down at the fallen body, _"Claudia's_ an international antiques thief?"

"No! Not THAT unconscious woman, the other one that's tied up!" Lee clarified.

Hunter looked across the room, "The appetizer attendant is a world renowned robber?"

"That's right," Lee verified as he further expounded, "It's really the main reason why I had attended your party, Mr. Rutherford. I am actually an insurance liaison agent working with the police department and this female thief has amassed a huge collection of stolen antique items from various mansions around the world! After surveilling her for some time, I discovered you were to be her next target...her nefarious scheme was to pose as one of your servers in order to steal your valuable antiques!"

Amanda nodded, "So, in reality, Mr. Rutherford, you should be THANKFUL that Mr. Silverstone saved you from someone intent on stealing all of your prized antiques!"

Hunter didn't know WHAT to believe as he peered down at his right hand man.

"Lester, what's your side of the story?"

From down on the ground, Lester forced himself to sit up, as he rubbed his back, "B-Boss...me and Jean Luc were the ones who captured the thief! These two attacked me from behind...I mean from the front! At least the woman did! She laid me out on the floor so that I hit my head and probably broke my back!"

Amanda innocently blinked, "I did all that?" She stared amazingly at her hands.

Hunter looked more confused and turned to Lee.

"Your man hit his head pretty hard," Lee analyzed, "...he may be suffering from a term known as a 'perplexed concussion'. I've seen it happen a lot in my business. But don't worry; it's very short term."

Hunter didn't know _what_ to think. He looked over at Jean Luc, but Jean Luc wasn't about to admit his cowardliness.

Finally, in a demanding tone Hunter ordered Jean Luc, "Lower your gun!" When his man complied, Hunter then pointed down to the fainted form, "What about Claudia here? Is she part of a theft ring as well?"

Lee was tempted to say 'yes', but answered with, "She's...collateral damage, Mr. Rutherford."

Hunter rubbed his temple as if he had a headache, "...I don't know WHAT to make of this convoluted story!" he then pointedly addressed Lee and Amanda, _"_ But what I DO know is I don't want ANY part of it. _..do I make myself clear?"_

"Perfectly, Sir," Lee acknowledged, "and as a representative of Federal Insurance Company, I apologize for- "

"ENOUGH!" Rutherford waved Lee's excuses away, "Just... go _! GOOOO!"_

"Of course, and we will never speak of this again," promised Lee.

"...and Silverstone," Rutherford growled, "...in case you haven't realized it yet... YOU'RE FIRED!"

Lee calmly nodded as if it were an everyday occurrence, "As it should be, Mr. Rutherford."

Rutherford then turned to Amanda, "And Amanda, tell Claudia... once she's conscious, of course... that I will no longer be contributing to the 'Friends of the Library' Club!"

"Sorry to hear that, Sir," Amanda ruefully agreed and then meekly asked, "So...I suppose...you'll want us to take the other two bodies away with us?"

"Well, I certainly don't want to keep them HERE!" Rutherford disgustedly answered back, "...AND I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOU FOUR, _EVER_ AGAIN!"

Lee and Amanda exchanged looks.

They were very lucky this time.

.

 _Please review_


	13. Chapter 13

Slowly Getting Clues

Chapter 13

Her eyelids felt heavy and her body felt sluggish as Claudia slowly came to. Before she could fight her way back to total consciousness, however, she heard muffled voices in the background.

The first voice she recognized was Amanda's voice.

" _Lee, I'm worried_ ," Amanda sounded frustrated, " _how are we ever going to explain to Claudia what happened in Mr. Rutherford's den?"_

" _THAT'S what you're concerned about?"_ Lee responded, his voice also low, " _What about the part where we didn't get the coded numbers? We NEEDED that pad in order to nail Rutherford! The last thing I need to be concerned about is trying to make up explanations for a crazy lady!"_

Crazy lady? CRAZY LADY?!

Claudia began to thrash her head about as her eyelids flickered.

"Oh gosh!" she heard Amanda exclaimed, "Claudia's coming to!"

Claudia forced her eyes opened. She blinked a few times, waiting for the bleariness to clear. The first thing she saw was Amanda's form looming directly over her.

"Claudia! Oh, Claudia! You gave us quite a scare!" Amanda exclaimed and then put on a welcoming smile, "How are you feeling?"

Claudia furrowed her brows, "I'm certainly not feeling CRAZY!"

She turned angry eyes at Lee, who ignored her, and then at Amanda, who looked guilty.

Amanda looked down, "Sorry you heard that, Claudia."

Don't you EVER say that I am crazy! EVER AGAIN! " she snapped at them, " Especially since you two are the ones who are talking crazy, what with secret numbers or whatever!"

Lee peered at her with uncertainty, "Claudia, what exactly did you hear us say?"

"I've heard enough!" Claudia claimed, "I know you didn't get some codes and you want to nail Rutherford! Are you two involved in some kind of illegal activity? Because I know people! The police chief has a library card!"

She saw how Lee and Amanda exchanged unreadable expressions.

Amanda tried to be gentle, "Claudia, you were in quite a state before you fainted. I'm sure recent events have been quite fuzzy for you."

Claudia's brows furrowed, "I _had_ fainted, hadn't I?" she asked as she focused on herself again, "how long have I been out?"

"A couple of hours," Lee told her, "but I see you've recovered and you're back to your usual self," he added, biting his lip to keep from saying ' _your miserable_ _self'_.

Claudia struggled to sit up, but she immediately felt light-headed and fell back onto the pillow with a groan.

"Owww, my head!"

"Try not to get up so fast, Claudia," Amanda suggested.

"But I want to sit up!" she demanded.

Amanda began fluffing a different pillow, "Here, I'll just put these two pillows under your head so your head can lay a little higher."

Amanda added two more pillows underneath Claudia's head.

"Better?" Amanda asked.

"No! This is uncomfortable and lumpy!" she complained.

"You'll feel better soon enough...just give it some time," stated Amanda in her best Bedside Bluebell tone.

Claudia made a slight move and grimaced, "So why did I faint? What happened? Last thing I recalled was that I was in Hunter's den," she then looked appalled, "Oh God! I wasn't drugged was I? Were unmentionables done to my body?"

Lee and Amanda exchanged glances again. Then Amanda gave Claudia a comforting smile.

"No, Claudia, you were not harmed in any way. Two thieves crashed the party and tried to rob the place," Amanda fibbed, which she hated to do, but she understood now that's what spies did in order to survive, "but everyone is fine now."

Claudia looked relieved, "I've been through quite an ordeal, haven't I? But how did I ever get out of the party and end up here?"

Amanda looked reluctant to tell her, "Welll, to make a long story short...Lee had to carry you out."

Claudia focused on Lee, "You did that? You carried me all the way up to my apartment?"

"I did."

Lee left out the part where he complained of a hernia afterwards.

Instead of looking grateful, however, Claudia shot an accusing look at him, "I hoped when you carried me, you were able to keep your hands on the safe zones of my body!"

"I have... absolutely... no words for that," Lee honestly answered.

"Your loss." Then Claudia asked, "But what reason would I ever have to faint, anyway?"

 _Here we go with the lies again_ , Amanda thought.

"If I recall, Claudia, you weren't feeling very well at the party. Remember, you had been complaining the minute we had arrived at the party?"

"Yes, I _was_ feeling bad," Claudia recalled, "must have been due to all the stress at work. How I _hate_ carrying the burden of running the entire library practically by myself!"

 _Claudia the martyr, as always,_ Amanda internally sighed.

But she continued to be nice to Claudia.

"Yes, well, _that,_ in combination with seeing one of the robbers, was probably your undoing," Amanda reasoned, "But don't worry, you'll be able to rest for the next couple of days since I plan to call Lucy. She could fill in for you at the library for a few days while you recover."

"You can forget about Lucy subbing for me," Claudia miserably explained, "she's attending a library convention downtown for the next two days. Lucy was selected to go because SOMEONE, who only works ONCE a week, hadn't garnered enough hours to represent us!"

Amanda ignored the snide remark directed at her, "Alright, if Lucy can't make it, then I'll get Don or Beatrice to fill in for you. Rest assure that there'll be proper coverage for the library!"

Claudia rubbed her head.

"My head still hurts!" she whined.

"I'll get some aspirin," Amanda patiently volunteered, as she popped up from the seat and left the room.

Now Claudia was alone with Lee.

"You know, Lee, I just remembered something about _you_ previously," Claudia claimed, once Amanda was out of the room, "When I had first arrived at the den, I remembered Amanda was trying to keep me out of the room; it was then that I suspected that you and she were involve in some sleazy activity inside the room!"

Lee scowled, "Believe me, Claudia, what happened in that room was _not_ that type of activity!"

"Oh, it's coming clearer to me now!" Claudia claimed, "I remembered that blonde server was also in there, tied up in a chair like ...like she was drugged or something! Maybe unmentionables were done to her!" she narrowed her eyes, "I figured _you_ might be into that kinky kind of stuff; in fact, I've often daydreamed about it, but...I can't believe you would involved Amanda in that!"

"Claudia, I'm only going to tell you this once," Lee's tone was simmering while his eyes turned cold, "You don't want to know WHAT took place in that room, but it's not what you think!"

"Then let me go on record to say that I _hate_ what you have done to her!" Claudia declared.

"To Amanda?" Lee was puzzled, "What have I done to her?"

"You've brainwashed her!" Claudia stated, ""Amanda was our 'go to' gal at the library; forever sweet and helpful. Until she met the likes of you, that is! What did you do to her?"

Lee didn't like the direction of the conversation was headed.

 _It made him regret involving Amanda in this mission._

"No one can change Amanda," Lee reasoned, and then added, with a slight smile on his lips,"believe me, I've tried."

 _He wanted to add that he liked that Amanda was her own person; he admired her smarts, her drive for knowledge and her unrelenting courage. But it was people like Claudia (and him at the beginning, for that matter) who underestimated her because of her sunny disposition._

But their conversation was halted when they heard approaching footsteps entering the bedroom again.

"Here you go, Claudia!" a cheerful Amanda announced as she entered the bedroom. She had returned to the room with two aspirins and a glass of water. Claudia quickly downed the aspirins.

"I hope this will help clear up your head," Amanda comforted her.

Claudia chugged the water and handed the empty glass back to Amanda,"Let's hope so."

Lee was anxious to know if Claudia remembered anything that might help them, "Now that you're feeling better, Claudia, do you recall anything suspicious before you had entered the mansion? Anything or anyone seemed out of place?"

Claudia scrunched her face and then she looked excited, "The salt and pepper haired man!"

 _Rutherford's right hand man._ Lee was interested as he took the seat right next to Claudia, "Go on. What about him?"

"I had actually seen him earlier at the party-when we had first arrived. Initially the guy had been guarding Hunter Rutherford for a time, but then he had disappeared into the house by himself. Of course, _you_ wouldn't have noticed all this activity since during that same time, you were flirting it up with Amanda over at the trellis, leaving me to socially fend for myself!"

"I'm sorry that you felt abandoned," Amanda apologized, "That was not our intention. And no, we weren't flirting; talking is NOT flirting," she blushed, thinking about the kiss, and then went right back to the topic, "so Claudia...you were saying about the salt and pepper haired man?

"Oh yes, him! So after he had gone into the mansion, then I saw that server lady head over towards the mansion as well and then she was gone, too."

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The three looked startled when they heard loud knocking coming from Claudia's front door. Lee put his index finger to his lips to signal the two ladies not to say another word.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his gun and pointing it up in the air, Lee left the bedroom for the living room.

From the bed, Claudia looked shocked when she first saw the gun in Lee's hand. After Lee left, she turned to Amanda, "Amanda, did you see Lee with a gu-"

"Sssshhhh! Don't talk! No questions, Claudia!" Amanda warned her in a covert manner, "Lee has it all under control." she then looked towards the direction Lee had last been seen, "I'm going to go check for myself what's going on. Don't say a word, no matter what, okay?"

Claudia could only solemnly nod. Satisfied, Amanda left to see who was at the door. Poking her head out from the apartment hallway, she could see that Lee had flattened his back against the side of the front door, just in case.

"WHO IS IT?" Lee yelled out in his most commanding tone to the person standing on the other side of the door.

"SPECIAL DELIVERY!"

Lee cautiously checked the peephole. Noting a man standing there with a brown uniform on, Lee next took out his wallet and slipped a ten dollar bill under the door.

"GO AWAY, BUT LEAVE THE PACKAGE BEHIND," Lee instructed the delivery guy.

"UH, SIR?" a timid voice could be heard through the closed front door, "I CAN'T LEAVE THE PACKAGE WITH YOU UNLESS YOU SIGN FOR IT. IT'S OUR POLICY."

Lee didn't want to take the risk that the man could be one of Rutherford's men.

"I HAVE A _NEW_ POLICY FOR YOU, PAL," Lee stated, as he slipped another ten dollar bill underneath the door, "YOU SIGN THE PACKAGE FOR ME AND PRAY THAT YOUR SIGNATURE LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO MINE!"

"UH, OKAY, SURE, I GUESS I COULD DO THAT...WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"

Lee didn't skip a beat, "CLINT EASTWOOD!"

"IS THAT WITH A 'C' OR A 'K', SIR?"

Lee groaned. _So the delivery guy was not the sharpest tool in the shed._

"A 'C'!" Lee growled back.

Scribbling could be heard.

"DONE, MR. EASTWOOD, SO I'LL LEAVE THE PACKAGE WITH YOU. THANK YOU!'

The next time Lee checked the peephole, the delivery man was gone. He holstered his gun. Cautiously Lee opened the door, picked up the lone package, shut the door, and then locked it.

He put the box to his ear.

No ticking, at least.

He shook it.

One item in the box.

Still holding the package in his hand, he and Amanda went back into the bedroom with Claudia.

"What is that?" Claudia demanded to know.

Lee was very slowly and carefully unwrapping it. After pushing aside the torn wrapping paper, he held in his hand a VHS tape.

"Hmmm..." he pondered as he read the typed note taped to the front of it.

"Lee, what does it say?" Amanda asked.

He read the note out loud:

 _Claudia,_

 _You and your friends have betrayed me._

 _You stole from me._

 _So I took something of yours._

 _Do not call the police._

 _We will be in touch soon._

 _H._

For the third time that day, Lee and Amanda exchanged looks.

What did the typed message mean?

.

.

 _Please review_


	14. Chapter 14

A Partnership

.

Chapter 14

A strange note attached to a VHS had been sent to Claudia, discussing betrayal and how the writer of the note has already taken revenge.

Lee faced the note Claudia's way and accusingly asked, "What do you know about this?"

"Nothing!" Claudia looked shock he was even asking, "I have no idea what's on that tape and what that message means!"

Amanda pointed out, "Lee, it's addressed to all of us, not specifically to Claudia. The person had only used Claudia's address in order to deliver it!"

Lee thought it through, "Yeah, I suppose you're right about that."

Claudia then asked, "The note is signed 'H'. You think it was written by Hunter Rutherford?"

"Who else?" Lee stated disgustedly as he ripped the note off the video tape. He then pointed across the room, "Is that a VHS player underneath your TV?"

"It is," Claudia concurred.

Lee strode over towards the TV player, "Let's just see what this tape is all about!"

Turning on the TV, Lee inserted the VHS into the slot and pushed a button.

Seconds later, the blank screen lit up. A soundless, grainy video appeared. It took awhile for all of them to focus and understand what was happening on the small screen.

 _ _The video showed old wallpaper from what like the hallway of a hotel.__

 _ _Soon the silhouette of a man and a young woman walking towards one of the rooms came into view. As they got closer to the door and to the camera, it was obvious the man was the Rutherford's bodyguard, Lester, the guy with the salt-and-pepper hair.__

 _ _The young girl next to him was casually-dressed woman with straight brunette hair..__

"T-That's Lucy!" announced Claudia, identifying her young librarian aide.

"It _does_ look like Lucy," verified a shaky Amanda.

 _ _Lucy's body movements were slow and sluggish as she leaned heavily into Lester's body. It was obvious she needed help in walking.__

"Is Lucy drunk?!" Claudia remarked, as she watched Lucy's listless movements, "How is that possible? I've never even seen a drink in her hand!"

"That's because she _doesn't_ drink," Amanda informed the other two as they miserably continued viewing the video.

 _ _As the man and Lucy reached the door of the hotel room, Lester had to prop Lucy up against himself while he inserted the key in the room and opened the door. He led them inside, and the hotel door slammed shut.__

Then the screen went black.

Claudia was baffled, "W-What just happened?"

"Oh my gosh!" Amanda exclaimed, "Lucy's been kidnapped!"

.

Leaving Claudia's apartment, Lee and Amanda were now walking down the walkway of the complex.

Amanda was visibly upset.

"Poor Lucy! Lee, we need to find her, Lee!" she announced, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty, "But how? Where? What's our next step?"

Lee knew exactly what he wanted to do, but he needed to get Amanda to calm down first, so he decided to distract her. He stopped walking so he could face her.

"What would super spy Veronica La Rue do at this point?"

Amanda scrunched up her face, as if she were in deep thought, an expression Lee found that endearing.

"Hmmm... at this point, Agent La Rue would be looking for clues that might help her with her mission," Amanda decided.

"That would be very wise of her," Lee acknowledged, "but what clue would she have to go on if _this_ was her case?"

"Well, _she_ would know what to do because she's a top spy, but being that I'm just a housewife..."

Lee put his hands out to stop her from continuing.

"Hold on, right there and listen to me..." he stopped her, "You, Amanda King, are so much more than 'just a housewife'!"

Amanda looked surprised as she gulped, "I am?"

"Yes, that is only one part of you," Lee informed her, "because of your talents, which includes a brilliant mind, you are someone who has the ability to be successful at anything you set your mind to. Do you believe that?"

Amanda watched him with grateful eyes. Butterflies began to flutter inside of her.

"I do, and thank you for that," she smiled, "and I do believe I have figured out the next step!"

Lee's face brightened, "Already?"

"Yes," she nodded with certainty, "the next step is to consult the experts, which in this case, is YOU! Do _you_ have any idea what to do next, Lee?"

Lee gave that smile that made Amanda's pulse race, "I DO, in fact. You know, that video we saw of Lucy going into that hotel room?"

"Yes?"

"I recognized the wallpaper of that particular hallway. It belongs to a well-established hotel located here in town." He looked proud that he figured it out.

Amanda, however, pursed her lips, causing Lee to look at her with confusion.

 _"What?"_ he wanted to know.

She put her hands on her hips, "Lee! How are you SO familiar with the wallpaper of a particular hotel?" she pointedly asked him, although she had a feeling she already knew the answer. When he didn't immediately answer, she impatiently added, "Wellll?"

His face had reddened as he instinctively grabbed her arm to hasten her along.

"Come on, Amanda! We've wasted too much time already!" he insistently hurried, "we definitely need _more_ action and _less_ talk!"

Amanda couldn't help the smile escaping from her lips as they began to cross the street to get to Lee's parked car.

A little ways down the street, however, someone had started the engine of his Taurus. The driver angled the vehicle out of its parallel parking space. Once pulled out from the curb, he revved up his vehicle and suddenly sped forward.

 _Va-rooooom!_

His car grabbed gravel as it headed straight for Lee and Amanda.

Lee turned his head at the sound of the revved engine; in a split second the vehicle would be upon them.

"Look out, Amanda!" yelled Lee as he grabbed her by the shoulders and purposefully flung her off to the side on the sidewalk, with him close behind her.

The Taurus casually zoomed past them, soon turning at the next corner and disappearing.

With the Taurus gone, Amanda remained laid out on the grass with Lee protectively on top of her.

Neither got up immediately. Amanda chose to quietly remain huddled against Lee's solid chest. Somehow, being in his arms felt so safe and warm, just like she knew it would. She closed her eyes, savoring the contact. She could feel his chest rising and falling in a rhythm much faster than usual.

Meanwhile Lee was relieved when she didn't get up. He loved the feel of her body beneath his. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way about her, but yet...he wanted to enjoy this brief space of time. He could hear the deep thundering of his own heart.

At last he forced himself to sit up. Cold air hit Amanda's body as she sat up next to him on the grass. They exchanged awkward smiles and then quickly looked away.

"You okay?" he asked, unable to look at her.

She cleared her throat, "Yeah, I'm fine," she nodded, while trying to wipe some of the dirt from her clothes, "but my clothes aren't. I think I'll be doing the laundry a bit earlier that usual this week!"

"Me, too," Lee concurred as he slapped his hands against his pants to clean them, "Seems someone is sending us a warning, and I'm pretty sure it's the same people who had kidnapped Lucy," he then sat up taller and boasted, "But lucky for us, I'm as astute as your heroine, Agent La Rue, because I just obtained another clue!"

Amanda looked impressed, "Really? What other clue?"

"I got the first three letters of the license plate, which may help to identity the driver!" he beamed with pride.

"Really? That's fantastic, Lee, because I just happened to get the _last_ two _numbers_ , so we almost have the entire license plate!"

"You did?" Lee actually was impressed.

"I did. I figured you'd be like most people and get the _first_ part of the license place, so that's why I made sure to glance towards the _last_ part of the license plate!"

"You were able to think of all that in the split second of time you had?" Lee couldn't believe it.

"It wasn't that difficult to figure that out," she responded, not making a big deal about it.

 _Humph! What do you know?_ Lee thought to himself, as he helped Amanda up, _Maybe there IS an advantage to having a partner!_

.

Once Amanda was comfortably seated in his Porsche, Lee shut the passenger side door. Then after getting into the driver's side, he slowly eased his car out of the curb and then picked up his car phone.

"Who are you calling?" Amanda asked, once they were on the road.

"My boss," Lee explained.

"Ohhhh, your boss!" Amanda sounded excited at that prospect, "What's his name?"

"Billy."

"No last name?"

"It's on a need to know basis, Amanda."

 _So that_ _is_ _something spies actually say!_ Amanda breathlessly thought.

"Okay...so, why are you calling him?" she inquired.

Lee changed lanes, "To find out the identity of driver of the Taurus that tried to mow us down. Since we have the model of the car and a partial license plate number, we'll be able to attach the name of the driver to it in no time, with Billy's help, of course."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

 _Amanda was impressed. Here she was, a suburban housewife, being driven around in a $40,000 Porsche, complete with a handsome spy, a working car phone, and an Agency boss!_

While driving, Lee snuck a sideways glance at her, "Why the smile?" he asked.

"It's silly, I suppose," Amanda admitted, "but all this spy talk and fancy dood-dads...it's so different from my world!"

"So is that a good thing?"

"It's a _very_ good thing!" she nodded enthusiastically.

Now it was Lee's turn to smile as he reached over towards his car phone and put the device on conference call.

After Lee updated Billy as to the kidnapping situation, Amanda was introduced to Billy.

"So we talk at last, Mrs. King!" Billy remarked and then joked, "I was beginning to think a woman as clever as you was a figment of Lee's active imagination!"

"That's so kind of you to say, Sir, and I'm so glad to meet your...voice," Amanda awkwardly stated, unsure with how to converse with an Agency director.

"Same here," Billy stated and then got down to business "So, Lee, you said you've got the make and color of the vehicle that tried to run you two over?"

"I did, and not only that, we got a partial plate as well."

"That should help as well! Let's hear it then!"

Lee gave Billy the information and because they had so much information, it didn't take Billy long to get the results as Lee stopped at a red light.

Billy announced, "The car owner's name is Lester Hiltson. Unfortunately I can't send you a picture of him since we obviously don't have that kind of technology."

"That won't be necessary, Billy, we already know what he looks like. Can you tell us anymore about his background?" Lee asked.

"According to this thin file, we don't have much," Billy explained, "Hiltson has no police record and doesn't have a personal residence. He also doesn't have much in way of an employment history. Previous records showed he worked as a demolitions expert in the army. It gets real sketchy after that. Worked for a short time with a state senator but doesn't note why he left. He's currently self employed as a contract body guard."

"Not much to go on, but it's enough. And once we get Lucy back and arrest Hiltson, I'm going after Rutherford!" Lee optimistically announced, as the light turned green and he proceeded forward.

"You sure Rutherford is involved in all this?" Billy questioned, "because you need to be certain if you are accusing someone as powerful as Rutherford of illegal activities."

"The video shows Rutherford's right hand man leading Lucy into a hotel room," Lee informed him, "Rutherford would have to be the one who gave the orders."

"Makes sense," Billy acknowledged, "So what happens now?"

"We're on our way to the hotel where we think this Lester Hiltson, may be holed up. Who knows? we may get lucky and even find the kidnapped victim there, too."

"How do you even know which hotel to go to?" Billy wondered, "Hiltson must be paying for his stay in cash because we have no records to verify his whereabouts."

Lee shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

 _Tap!Tap!_

He was purposely tapping the phone speaker, "What? Did you say something, Billy?" Lee innocently inquired, _Tap!Tap_! as he continued tapping. Then speaking slightly louder he said, " I CAN'T HEAR YOU! SEEMS I'M LOSING OUR CONNECTION..."

 _Tap!Tap!_

Amanda grinned and interjected with a normal tone, "Believe me, Sir, Lee knows his hotels! _"_

Lee gave Amanda the side-eyed, but he couldn't help smiling, too.

"Ahhh, I understand now," Billy lightly stated, "Okay, keep me informed. Good work!"

"Oh, I couldn't take all the credit, Billy. Amanda has been a _great_ help to this mission!"

"That's who I was referring to!" jested Billy to a blushing Amanda, and then humbly added, "and Mrs. King, the country owes you our sincerest gratitude and I hope to personally thank you someday, too!"

.

.

 _Please review_


	15. Chapter 15

'Flirting with Danger

.

Chapter 15

As Amanda sat in Lee's car, talking to Billy, she felt she was on cloud nine.

 _ _A TOP agency director had actually thanked her for helping the country catch a bad guy!__

 _"Thank you, Sir. I'm happy to help your agency any way that I can."_

" _Glad to hear that,_ " Billy acknowledged, " _and though we DO appreciate your help, Mrs. King..._ " his voice switched to one of concern,"... _to be honest, I'm a little worried for you. Lee has already placed you in danger and I'm not sure it would be so wise for you to continue the mission."_

Amanda didn't want Lee to take the blame, " _Oh, Sir, it wasn't Lee's fault that I'm here! He only did it due to my insistence! I appreciate your concern, but it's imperative I find out what happened to Lucy!"_

 _"Told you she was stubborn_ ," Lee reminded Billy.

" _I am NOT stubborn_!" she insisted, proudly straightening her shoulders, " _I just think that sometimes my way is better, is all!"_

Billy chuckled, " _Sounds like you have the same thinking as one of my agents! Wouldn't you agree, Lee?"_

" _I swear, Billy, I have NO idea who you're talking about!"_ Lee claimed, " _So if there are no other pointless insinuations for you to make, I'm going to hang up because I have a mission to complete!"_

 _"Fine, but before we end communication, I need to say one more thing to Mrs. King."_

 _"I'm here, Sir."_

Billy's tone sounded gentle, _"Mrs. King, I understand how worried you must be for your kidnapped friend, and though I can't convince you NOT to be involved, I can at least ask you to please be very careful and RUN at the first sign of trouble!"_

Amanda was touched by his concern, _"Of course, Sir."_

" _And Lee,_ " added Billy, _"you make sure you keep Mrs. King safe, above all else!"_

" _Will do, Billy,"_ Lee stated.

 _ _Will do__. Amanda felt giddy at the prospect of Lee keeping her safe.

The phone conversation ended as Lee continued driving. He seemed to be in deep thought. It was some time before he spoke out.

"Amanda, I'm also having some doubts about keeping you on the mission," he admitted at last, "We are about to confront a _kidnapper_ in order to rescue Lucy! Can you honestly say you've been on a _rescue mission_ before?"

"Well, um..." Amanda fumbled, trying to sound convincing, "...I had once rescued an injured squirrel from up a tree!"

Lee smiled despite the seriousness of the situation, "I'm not sure that qualifies."

"Have YOU ever tried separating a squirrel from his stash of acorns?" she questioned him, "You haven't _faced_ danger until you've experienced a squirrel's wrath!"

Lee chuckled, "Oh, yes, their wrath is truly the WORST!" he teased before his face was solemn again, "But getting back to you being on the mission..."

"Lee, I'm already involved and you cannot convince me otherwise!" she insisted, "Lucy's not just a colleague, she's a friend as well! I NEED to be there for her!"

 _Were ALL housewives this delightful, determined, and brave?_ _Lee wondered._

It was too late for a change of plans, anyway.

The Riverside Hotel loomed straight ahead.

He pulled into the parking lot.

"We've arrived," Lee announced as Amanda looked out the window.

The hotel was a moderately priced, tall structure that now needed to be updated, for time had passed it by. It was dull beige in color with plain shrubbery surrounding the exterior.

As they sat in the car, Amanda couldn't get over the flatness of the place and asked, "You often come HERE?"

"I _never_ said OFTEN! _"_

"...but you recognized the wallpaper-"

"... _ONLY_ because I have a great memory, _alright?"_

Amanda bit her lip to keep from smiling.

Lee humorously grunted, knowing how ridiculous he sounded. And he was also enjoying himself way too much.

"Come on, let's go," he stated, getting out of his car.

After he went on the other side and opened the car door for her, she asked, "So how will we know which room Lester Hiltson is in? There must be _hundreds_ of rooms in there!"

"Don't worry; I've got a plan," Lee confidently announced.

There was a free standing phone booth located outside the hotel's lobby. He led her over there. She watched as he flipped through the Yellow Pages book. Finding the number he wanted, he dialed it.

Through the front glass of the hotel, Amanda had a view of the check-in desk and lobby.

 _ _Ring! Ring!__

From inside the lobby, Amanda heard the hotel's phone ringing. She instantly knew it was Lee calling the place.

A middle-aged female desk clerk in a polyester blue jacket answered the phone on the second ring.

 _"Good afternoon. Riverside Motel."_

Lee spoke into the phone, " _Yes, could you put through to Lester Hiltson's room, please?"_

 _"One moment."_

 _ _Ring! Ri-__

The second ring was cut off midway when Lee heard an impatient voice come through the phone receiver, "Y _eah, Hiltson, here."_

" _Good afternoon!_ " greeted Lee in his most professional sounding tone, " _This is Guest Services, Mr. Hiltson. I'm calling because as a valued customer,we wanted to deliver a personalized 'Welcome' basket just for you! However, when we had earlier attempted to deliver it to room 258, we found someone else in your room, which caused us a great deal of concern."_

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?" barked an angry Hiltson, _"I'm in room 322! How the hell could you screw up so badly?_ "

" _Our apologies, Sir,_ " said Lee, as he gave a confident smile to Amanda, " _We had put a new employee on basket duty. I will certainly take this matter up with management! We promise to be up shortly with your delivery to room number 322. Thank you for your patience!"_

Then Lee hung up.

"And _that's_ how it's done!" he beamed.

Amanda's eyes sparkled at his cleverness as they left the booth.

Lee held the hotel's door opened for Amanda so she could enter and then he followed her inside. They were now in the hotel lobby, which was almost empty of people as they walked across it.

When the hotel clerk looked up from behind the front desk, Lee nodded and winked at her. In recognition, the clerk blushed and giggled before shyly waving back.

"Oh __please__ ," Amanda groaned at Lee's flirtatious ways.

"What can I say?" he grinned, "I'm just a friendly guy!"

They continued walking through the lobby.

" _This place is older than I originally thought_ ," she observed.

Lee agreed, "Yeah, I bet instead of a wake-up call, they give you a wake up _telegram!"_

Amanda was grinning as they arrived at the elevator. Before they could push a button, however, they heard the sound of high heels clacking as a feminine voice called out Lee's name.

"Lee? Is that you?"

Lee and Amanda turned around. An attractive blonde-haired stewardess was smiling at him. She was dressed in the airline uniform of a red buttoned suit with a red/white striped blouse underneath, finished with blue scarf around her neck.

"That IS you!" she happily remarked.

Lee gave an embarrassed glance at Amanda before addressing the woman.

"Oh, heyyyy!" he greeted, wondering what her name was, "It's _you_! Imagine me bumping into _you! Gorgeous you!"_

"You _shouldn't_ be surprised..." she stated, "we _always_ meet here!"

An annoyed Amanda thought _: Here we go with another encounter between Lee and his groupie chickadees!_

Lee cleared his throat, "Yeah. So! Did your plane just land?"

"It did! And I was just about to call you after I checked in!" she gushed and then she spotted Amanda and her smile disappeared, "...but I see you're...with someone else here," she balked, as she gave Amanda a judgmental once-over.

"Hellooo..." Amanda politely greeted her, "I'm Amanda. And you are...? _"_

The woman lifted her head in superiority.

"...Tina," the she haughtily answered. Then she looked from Amanda to Lee, "Are you two…?"

"-Co-workers!" Lee quickly interjected, "Isn't that right, Amanda?"

"Oh yes," Amanda nodded. And then recalling that he had previously 'played' an astronaut, she added, "we both work together on the space program!"

" _Space program?_ " Tina questioned, blinking twice, as she accusingly turned to Lee, "...Didn't you tell me you were _a race car driver?"_

He nervously laughed, "Tina baby! You know me! I can do anything I set my mind to!"

A knowing smile appeared on Tina's lips.

"Oooo, I am well aware of THAT talent!..." she cooed, making a double entendre. Then she showed pouty lips, "But what are you doing here with _her_? You mean to tell me that your new office is located in a _hotel room?_ "

 _Oh boy._ He cleared his throat and gave Tina his most charming smile.

"There's something strikingly different about you, isn't there?" he asked, purposely changing the subject, "because let me tell you, Tina honey, you look like a million bucks!"

A big smile crossed the stewardess' face and Amanda couldn't believe that the compliment worked on Tina.

"You're right, Lee, my skin is glowing now because I recently took up yoga! And you should see all the _bendable_ positions I can twist into _now_ ," she bragged.

He checked her out, up and down, "I'm sure your _pretzel_ moves would be a wonderful snack for my eyes!"

Tina was obviously pleased with the compliment while Amanda tried not to roll her eyes.

"I'd love to show you how flexible I can be," she purred, walking two fingers up his chest, "maybe after I check in, you and I could check in with one another..."

"-Tempting...but perhaps not today... " Lee pretended regret.

Tina stuck out her lower lip.

"Alright...but...you'll call me later, won't you?"

"As soon as I'm free," Lee noncommittally stated, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

"Just don't wait too long, Lee honey... I only have a layover for two days," she warned him, "and I do mean _layover_."

This time Amanda DID roll her eyes.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Tina playfully tapped his nose, "See ya, Boopsie!"

Then she turned and strutted away, with exaggerated hip movements.

"My gosh, _Boopsie,_ " Amanda jested, when Tina was out of sight, "You flirt like some people breathe air!"

"I'm not THAT bad of a flirt!"

"Let's see..." Amanda counted with her fingers as she began listing them, "There's the coffeeshop waitress, _three_ bathing beauties, the check-in clerk and now the stewardess who flies the friendliest skies of all!"

"Hmmph!" Lee reacted as he pushed the 3rd floor button on the elevator panel, "I'll have you know," he casually informed her, "...that I ONLY flirt with people I'm NOT interested in!"

"...You've never flirted with _me!_ _"_ Amanda pointedly responded back.

Immediately her eyes widened when she realized her mistake.

Too late!

Lee had caught it too.

 _ _She had just implied that he was interested in her!__

Lee clumsily didn't know how to respond.

Instead, he began to continually push the 3rd floor button.

"Come on, come on!" he impatiently urged the elevator car to arrive.

He could feel himself breaking out in a sweat as Amanda hand-fanned herself.

 _DING!_

At last the doors opened and they stepped into the elevator, not realizing the situation was about to get worse.

With the doors shut, they were now alone in the tight quarters of an enclosed elevator.

Like most people who stood inside a confined elevator, their eyes gawkily focused up above the doorway, where the floor numbers were located. The awkward tension seemed to be stretching.

At last Lee turned to face her, "Amanda?"

She had no choice but to look his way.

And when his searching gaze held hers, Lee felt his insides tighten in response. His erratic breathing told him he was standing too close to her, but no way would he step away. Instead, he experienced a dizzying type of feeling just being near her.

 _*2nd floor*_

Amanda could barely think because of the intensity he was watching her.

They were now both recalling that one kiss they had shared.

"Y-Yes?" she responded at last, her cheeks flushed as her heart skittered about her rib cage.

"About...that flirting comment..."

Amanda couldn't breathe.

"Oh that...forget it..." she waved that comment away, "I don't know WHY I said that you NEVER flirted with me when you ONLY flirt with women you are NOT interested in, which is NOT me because you did NOT flirt with me, meaning that...ohhh! I don't even know what I'm saying anymore! " she confusingly rambled, wanting to shrivel up and die after making the situation even more awkward.

Lee looked just as baffled.

So they resumed staring at the numbers above the elevator doors in intensified silence.

*3rd floor*

DING!

The elevator door opened.

They stepped out into the 3rd floor hallway and felt they could breathe again.

But still embarrassed, Amanda didn't move forward beyond the closed elevator door, causing Lee to also stop.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

 _Yes, I'm wondering if you're interested in me,_ Amanda internalized.

"No, of course not!" she assured him, "It's just..I think...I'll, um wait for you _here_ , on this bench...next to the elevator..."

"You're not going with me to Hiltson's room?"

"No, I'll wait for you here."

He looked confused, "Is that a trick sentence?"

She fought a smile.

"Noooo," she asserted, "I'm doing what you and your boss suggested. I'm staying away from danger."

He contemplated her words, "Looks like you already have the makings of a spy."

She looked wide-eyed at him, "I do?"

"Yeah...you can already _lie_ like one!"

"Oh." She blushed.

So awkward. Lee was somewhat relieved he wouldn't be distracted by Amanda's presence.

 _And why hadn't he flirted with her? _he wondered to himself, _she was certainly attractive enough._

"Suit yourself. I'll give a call out if I find Lucy. She'll definitely need to see a friend after her ordeal."

"I'll be here."

"And remember Billy's words," he reminded her, "...at the first sign of trouble, Amanda, you RUN!"

"I will. Good luck, Lee."

Lee felt a hole in his heart as he walked away from her. He looked back once over his shoulder and saw Amanda obediently taking a seat on elevator bench.

Walking alone down the hallway, he had arrived at room 322.

Lee retrieved his gun from inside his jacket and knocked.

 _KNOCK!KNOCK!_

There were sounds of movement heard inside.

Lee waited.

Silence.

He yelled through the door.

"MR. HILTSON! THIS IS GUEST SERVICES! I HAVE YOUR WELCOME BASKET WITH ME!"

Some additional shuffling could be heard.

"COME IN! THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED!" a gruff male voice shouted back.

 _Uh-oh,_ Lee thought, but he had no other choice but to proceed forward.

With care, Lee silently opened the door.

When he stepped in, light spilled in from the opened door, but the rest of the room was dark, due to the curtains being drawn.

Squinting his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he moved further in.

No sign of Lucy.

SLAM!

The door quickly shut behind him.

 _Dammit!_ he anguished, _just as he thought._

An ambush!

.

.

 _Please review_


	16. Chapter 16

Fighting a Clue

Chapter 16

Lee had just entered Hiltson's hotel room in hopes of finding kidnapped Lucy when the door quickly slammed behind him.

His eyes had still not fully adjusted to the dark when from out of nowhere, Hiltson's foot reached up and kicked the gun out of Lee's hand.

"Hey!" Lee yelled out, as the gun flew up and then landed on the floor. There would be no way he would find his weapon in this darkness.

"WHERE'S THE CODED NOTEPAD?!" Hiltson's voice shouted out from the darkness.

"WHERE'S LUCY?" Lee demanded, punching into the darkness.

His eyes was still adjusting to the darkness when suddenly Lee sensed, more than saw, a fist heading towards his body. His brain waves only had time to register that the devastating punch was headed straight for his chest.

WHAP!

It smashed into Lee's sternum and his face contorted with surprise. This wasn't just a run-of-the-mill painful fist punch; the fist had a copper device surrounding it.

Brass knuckles.

Lee felt as if his chest cavity had caved into his heart as searing pain drove him backwards. When he tried to take in more air, he found it difficult to even breathe.

He tried to shake if off, especially since he knew Hiltson would continue the attack.

And he was right; this time the brass knuckles heading towards his face. Lee attempted to turn away from the blow, but he felt he was going slow motion on a fast moving train.

WHAP!

The brass knuckles scraped off the side of his head. Lee felt like his head burst open. Pain exploded in that area. He felt his legs giving way as his eyes rolled around to the back of his head.

He dropped to the floor, flat on his back.

"WHERE'S THE NOTEPAD?" Hiltson demanded to know, as he hovered over him.

"Luuu...cy," Lee moaned in pain.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Lee vague heard the knocking as he fought to stay conscious.

"SECURITY! OPEN THIS DOOR, NOW!" a man was yelling from behind the front door. Lee tried to move, but his body was like a concrete slab.

"Damn it!" he heard Hiltson curse.

Lee felt the moment Hiltson had left his side. He could hear the sound of Hiltson's footsteps rushing towards the window. The sound of curtains opened could be heard as light spilled into the room. Lifting his head towards the opened window, Lee could make out the silhouette of Hiltson escaping, but he could only drop his head back down and groan in pain.

BLAM!

The door suddenly burst opened.

Different sets of footsteps could be heard; male ones were rushing towards the opened window while more feminine ones reached his body.

As Lee moaned, he felt someone kneeling down beside him.

Then he heard Amanda's worried tone, "Lee, oh my gosh, Lee! Are you alright?"

Meanwhile, the security guy had reached the window and looked out. The parking lot was cleared. He turned on the lights.

"Nobody's out there," he reported, coming over to Lee and Amanda, "Is he alight?"

The fog in Lee's head was slowly lifting. The pain remained, but Lee had his pride.

"Help me sit up!" Lee demanded.

Amanda looked unsure,"I don't think-"

"I'm fine! I'm fine! Help me up!"

"Alright...geez, someone got hit on the wrong side of the face!"

"The guard and Amanda helped him up. Now seated on the floor, Lee touched the cheek that had been bruised. Sore. And his chest felt worst. He could now see the concerned face of Amanda, watching him, and he instantly felt guilty for being so rude.

"Thanks," he weakly stated as Amanda nodded.

The security guard asked, "Buddy, you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lee stated, now feeling disgusted that Hiltson had escaped, "Any sign of the other guy who was here? I suppose he got away."

" _He?_ " The guard looked confused, "You mean, 'she', don't you?"

Lee was stumped, "What do you mean by 'she'?"

Zach the security guard then shook his head and tsked Lee, "Give it up, Bud; you've been found out. Might as well just confess."

"Confess?" Lee looked stumped, "Confess to what? To being beat up? Yeah, okay! I confess, I was beat up!"

Amanda reacted by angrily shook her index finger in Lee's face.

"Don't you play coy with me, Honey Bunch!" she lectured him, with a scowl on her face, "If your floozy girlfriend beat you up, you deserved it! I KNEW you were up to no good when you said you were off to play some golf..."

Lee's head still felt woozy and thought he wasn't hearing right, "Golf?"

"You heard me!" Amanda angrily confirmed, "I _knew_ you couldn't be off playing golf, being that you don't even owe a set of clubs! So after you left the house, I followed you! Yes, I did that! And sure enough, here you are...in a seedy hotel!"

Zach defended the quality of the hotel he worked at, "Welll, I wouldn't say _seedy_..."

Lee finally understood where Amanda was going with this scenario, so he played the guilty, defensive husband who had been caught.

"Oh yeah?" he challenged, "Do you _blame_ me for seeking someone else, Sugar Plum Sprinkles?! What am I suppose to do, when... when every time I come home, instead of being greeted by someone wearing seductive lingerie, I get Track Suit Mama! What the hell, Honey Bunch Fruit Loops?! This means WAR!"

Zach looked embarrassed, "Uh..."

Amanda could barely keep a straight face.

"How DARE you, Captain Cuddly!" she 'angrily' retorted, "So instead of being home with our four kids and the toucan, you _choose_ to take up with Hussy Homewrecker who escapes by scaling down buildings like Spiderman!"

Lee was fast, "At least she doesn't drink vodka like it's water!"

Amanda sucked in her breath and insultingly retorted, "I don't drink THAT much vodka, Care Bear HugItOut!"

"Not true, Baby Bun-Bun, and you know it! Last night you drank so much vodka, that when you woke up, you had a _Russian accent!"_

Amanda fought to suppress a laugh as Zach stepped in.

"Stop, just STOP it you two!" Zach interrupted them, "I'm not listening to any more of your problems! I'm security, not Sally Jesse Raphael! I'm clearing out of here and I suggest you two do the same!"

And then without further words, Zach left the room, slamming the hotel room behind him.

Once they were alone again, Lee and Amanda began to laugh.

Lee sardonically remarked, "That was SOME argument!"

"It was!" Amanda concurred, thinking it was actually a lot of fun.

He looked sideways at her, "But if I remembered correctly, I thought you promised you wouldn't get involved; that you would run away at the first sign of trouble..."

"And I did exactly that," Amanda explained, "I ran away and got security involved!"

Instead of berating her further, a big grin crossed Lee's face, "And boy, am I glad you did, Amanda!"

"Really?" she looked pleased, "then I'm glad I did, too!" She then observed his cheek and her brows furrowed, "But, gosh, that's a pretty bad bruise you've got there."

Lee repeated a well-worn joke, "Yeah, I know it looks bad, but you should see the other guy!"

She smiled, "Well, we can't let the hotel management see your face like that...they may think we've damage the room!"

Lee surveyed the disarrayed place, "THAT'S what you're worried about?"

"Not just that..." Amanda claimed as she got out her big purse and opened it. She dug around in it and at last produced a makeup compact.

"What's that?"

Amanda saw the hesitation in his eyes, "It's not a taser, Lee, if that's what you're thinking!"

"I _realize_ it's not a taser, but I also don't need anything to give my cheeks a rosier glow!"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Amanda playfully chided him, "For your information, it's not blush, Lee, it's a concealer...to help cover up your bruise...I would think someone like a SPY would appreciate words like 'concealer' and 'cover up', wouldn't you say so?"

"Okay...but don't use too much," he warned and then jested, "I've always prefer the natural look for myself!"

Amanda laughed.

She opened the compact and rubbed the pad applicator onto the compact powder. Then she gently dabbed the area to cover his bruised cheek.

"Ow!" he complained.

"Hold still, Prince Pudding Pup!" she lightly reprimanded him.

He shot her a look, "I'm trying, Angel Pork Chops!"

Their bantering seemed to relax him.

Amused, Lee's eyes followed Amanda's hand with each dab, each movement.

He was beginning to enjoy all this attention Amanda was giving him.

But it also heightened his awareness of her.

His eyes never left her face as she applied the makeup; she was in deep concentration; the edges of her teeth catching at the plush curve of her lower lip. She was enticing, he decided, frustrating, but enticing.

For a moment, she knew he was thinking of her from the way he was gazing at her face. His nearness was sending her heart palpitating a mile a minute. Her hand began shaking as she continued dabbing. She felt light headed.

"There," she stated, relieved she wasn't touching his face any longer or she would soon be lost in his eyes.

"You know, Amanda," he suggested, his voice sounding a bit hoarse after all that touchy-feely from her "I also have an even BIGGER bruise on my stomach. Hiltson really did a number down there. I could use some concealer down there, just help me lift up my shirt and..."

"Oh no you don't, Lee!" she berated him and blushed at the same time, "there would be NO reason for me to apply concealer there, now would there?"

"How about the reason being it would make me happy?"

Amanda lifted a brow, "I bet it would! Which is exactly the reason why I WOULDN'T do it!" she announced, decisively closing the compact with a loud click.

So that ended that.

Lee hated that his 'cover up' session was over and tried to delay their departure.

He tilted his head at her, " Amanda, just being hypothetical here...what if the security guard had burst into this room and there was more than one bad guy and they overpowered both him AND me? What would you have done then?"

"Oh, I brought my own weapon..." she patted her purse.

Lee looked at what she was gesturing at, "You...You have a gun in your purse?"

"Pfft! No, Silly! I don't even know how to shoot! I'd just used my purse to whack him!" she stated as if it were obvious, "and if THAT didn't work, I have a chemical weapon inside my purse!"

Lee was catching on, "Don't tell me...a perfume spray?"

"Even better... hair spray!" Amanda proudly announced, "Although I've never used it before as a weapon ..." she paused, "Wait! I take that back...I _did_ use it one time as a weapon!"

"Y-You fought off an assailant with hair spray?" Lee looked incredulously at her.

"Not quite an assailant...a spider! But not ANY spider, a big, creepy one! It was crawling up on the wall, so I doused it with my hair spray!"

"So you ended up killing a spider with hair spray?"

" _No_ , Lee... the spider ended up living, but his legs were awfully stiff afterwards!"

Lee laughed at the mental image.

"Come on, Amanda," he stated, his eyes shining with amusement, "I'll take you home."

She looked worried again, "What about Lucy?"

"Yeah about that..." Lee was frustrated again, "I need to regroup and figure out what to do next...I know you're worried, but...just trust me that we will definitely find your friend, alright?"

"Alright, I trust you."

 _Just like that._ Lee gave a relieved sigh and made a promise that he would NOT let Amanda down.

He dropped her off at his place so that she could pick up her car. It was near dinnertime. Lee so wanted to ask her to have dinner with him, but he knew she had a mother and two boys waiting for her.

Too bad. He hated the thought of going home to an empty apartment.

.

By the time Amanda walked into the house, she was exhausted.

Did everything that happened, starting with the soiree, the rescue of Francine, Lucy's disappearance and fighting the kidnapper all really happen in one day?

It seemed a lifetime since she was home.

"Mother! I'm home!" she yelled out, as she entered through the back door.

Not finding a sign of Dotty, Amanda walked out the kitchen and had entered the living room when she halted her steps.

She spotted Dean sitting on her living room sofa. He quietly stood when she entered.

"Hello, Amanda."

He said it in that same monotone voice of his, but his lips were pursed in a look of frustration.

"Dean!" Amanda exclaimed.

She was already mentally drained, but she recovered and nodded politely, "You're here."

.

.

 _Please review_


	17. Chapter 17

Three Important Phone Calls

Chapter 17

After such a grand adventure, it was quite a change to see Dean waiting for her in her own living room. They had just greeted one another and Amanda couldn't help but feel a tension in the room.

Dean's face was impassive, "Amanda."

Amanda felt the room closing in on her as she struggled for something to say, "Are you joining us for dinner?"

His face didn't move except for the lift of one eyebrow, "Amanda, aren't you forgetting about something?"

"No, I..." Panic clamped down on Amanda as she searched her mind, when suddenly, it hit her, "...oh my gosh! We were suppose to go shopping at Kitchen World this afternoon, weren't we?"

He nodded once, "Exactly."

One of the qualities Amanda always admired about him was that he was forever low-key, whether upset or happy. Unfortunately, this time, it made her feel even worse.

"I'm so sorry, Dean, I had forgotten about our appointment and didn't even have the courtesy to call!" she fiercely apologized, "but you would not BELIEVE how hectic my day had been!"

In response, Dean casually eyed her up and down, taking note of her new white dress.

"I can tell your day must have been jam-packed with busyness," he dryly stated.

"Oh!" Amanda blushed at Dean's sarcastic comment. He must have thought she had been partying all day, "uh, yes...I was definitely busy! As you know I was at a _work_ event with Claudia and you wouldn't believe the crazy things that happened!..." her voice trailed off when she realized that she didn't want to say anything about what happened, "...But that was hours ago and it's over now, isn't it?" she uncomfortably ended. She then paused to listen, "It's so quiet in the house... I don't hear the boys or Mother."

"Dotty figured we might want to talk, so she took the boys out for pizza," Dean explained, his voice strained, "She made some stew for us."

"How nice of her!" Amanda was glad to steer the conversation away from her day's activities, "I'm actually famished! Aren't you?"

"It _is_ dinnertime," he remarked and then added, "Perhaps you can change into more comfortable clothes while I set the table."

Amanda could feel herself blushing again. The whole situation felt so awkward and she was glad for an excuse to leave, "Alright...I'll be right out."

After she changed, she went into the kitchen. Dean had already placed settings on the small dining table and had scooped up two hot, brimming bowls of stew.

While Amanda got the buttered bread from the oven, he had placed the bowls on the place mats and was filling their glasses up with iced tea.

A month ago, this might have been considered a perfectly homey scene for a couple, but for Amanda now, it was just something she wanted done and over with, as they both sat down.

Amanda took a bite, "This stew is delicious!" she feigned enthusiasm.

Dean, however, didn't respond to her comment, but was silently eating his bread.

Amanda sighed. She wished if Dean was mad, he would just say it! He always kept his emotions buttoned up inside of him and she hated that she never knew what he was thinking, unlike other men with explosive personalities. At least she always knew where she stood with Lee. _No, mustn't think of him_, she berated herself.

"You're still upset, aren't you, Dean?"

"Disappointed, perhaps," he truthfully answered, "And judging from that flashy dress you were wearing, you must have had a good time without me."

She put her fork down.

"It wasn't like that," she claimed.

"If you say so."

"I do," Amanda responded back and then gathering up her courage she added, "And actually, I had a very interesting day; I'm glad I went! By experiencing different things, I'm learning a lot about myself!"

"Oh." Dean had that _'not again'_ look on his face, "We're back to that ' _needing-a-grand-adventure_ ' talk again."

Even though he sounded fed up, she pushed on, "Perhaps. And what is wrong with wanting to experience more?"

Dean frowned, "I thought you were quite satisfied with who you are already."

"No, YOU were satisfied with me that way," Amanda pointedly stated, trying to keep her tone calm.

"I am, and you should be more appreciative, too. You have a home, family, security and _me._ Your life is comfortable now."

"But Dean, that's just it! C _omfortable_ isn't good enough for me! Great things never happen from being _comfortable!_ "

Dean still looked puzzled, "I don't get it."

"I can't explain why I've changed..." Amanda began, "...I just know that at the edge of the comfort zone, there's something else waiting for me beyond the outer edges, and I'm ready to take that leap!"

"You'll lose everything that is important to you, Amanda, if you continue with these silly ideas."

He sounded like an adult lecturing a child.

"They're NOT silly ideas, Dean!"

Dean sighed, "Let's just drop this subject, shall we?" He causally took another bite.

Amanda bit her lower lip.

"No, we're not done talking about it!" she insisted as she faced his surprised look, "You'd be perfectly happy if I cooked and clean for the rest of my life, wouldn't you?!"

"It would be a perfect life for _both_ of us, wouldn't it?" Dean asked, "I thought you enjoyed being a housewife and mother."

"I do, but I don't want to make a _career_ out of it!"

"Alright, I get it; you want to work. Fine. I'll check out job opportunities at my station. Maybe there's a typist position for you. So can we stop discussing this and just enjoy this meal?"

As if it was decided, he took a sip of his iced tea as Amanda frustratingly sighed.

 _Dean was wrong; he didn't get it, and on top of that, he had shut down again._

Wordlessly, she took another bite of her stew. It felt like it was stuck in her throat and she found it difficult to swallow.

After gathering up her nerves,she determinedly announced, "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Dean was the middle of putting another forkful of stew in his mouth, but he stopped midway and placed his fork down. He gave her a befuddled stare.

"Did I hear you correctly, Amanda?"

Encouraged now, Amanda looked determined, "Yes, Dean...you're a great guy and all, but we're not right for one another."

Dean stared at the woman he no longer knew.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Amanda," his face was rigid, "but I think I've been very patient with you. You won't find a lot of guys who are willing to date someone, along with her two young boys."

Amanda coldly responded with, "They aren't a _burden_ , if that's what you're implying!"

"Okay, I can see where this is headed. Let's stop discussing this until _after_ you've cooled down," Dean suggested.

Amanda couldn't believe how self righteous Dean was sounding.

 _Had he always been that way?_

"I won't change my mind," Amanda stubbornly told him, "about _anything_ we've discussed!"

They were at an impasse.

 _R-R-Ring!_

The wall phone rang in the kitchen, and not a moment too soon.

"Don't answer that," Dean reacted, "we are in the middle of-"

But Amanda felt she was given a reprieve.

"No, I should get that," she announced, as she shot up from her seat and tossed her napkin on the counter.

 _Maybe it was Lee._

She practically ran to the phone to answer it, hoping against hope.

"Hello?" she stated, her heart beating faster.

" _Amanda? This is Claudia."_

Her heart dropped like a stone, but even conversing with Claudia was still better than what waited for her in the kitchen.

"Claudia! So good to hear from you!"

 _"It is?_ " Claudia sounded surprised and then asked, " _So you're saying this is a good time to talk?"_

"Yes, definitely," Amanda nodded into the phone, purposely avoiding looking in Dean's direction, "although I do have company here."

 _"Company? Does that mean a man?"_ Claudia stated accusingly, " _Are you entertaining Lee Silverstone over there?"_

 _If only._

"No, Claudia...I'm with...another friend..."

" _Who's obviously_ _male! Y_ _ou must have a revolving door over there!"_

Amanda sounded irritated, "Claudia, did you call me for a reason?"

" _Yes, I did! Did you learn anything more about Lucy's kidnapper? Why haven't you been keeping me apprised of the situation? What's going on?"_

Amanda shot another glance at Dean, who seemed to be disinterested in her conversation and had begun gathering the dishes so she could wash them.

Amanda lowered her voice, " _ _Claudia,__ _ _I can't talk to you about that particular situation right now! As I had mentioned earlier, I have company!"__

 _"I_ _ _know, a man!.__ _..you sure like to rub it in my face, since I'm obviously single, don't you?!"_

"I have to go now," Amanda stated through gritted teeth.

" _No! Don't! Don't hang up_!" Claudia's voice now sounded desperate, " _The truth of the matter is...I'm feeling a little... scared! Unlike you, I'm alone here. By myself. Not that you would know anything about_ _that!_ _"_

Again, Claudia with the unwarranted sarcasm.

"Claudia, could you get to point, please?"

 _"Alright, I will!"_ Claudia responded, and then her tone sounded oddly like a plea, " _I was thinking that you could come over and keep me company."_

"Tonight?"

" _Yes, tonight, Amanda! I didn't realize I needed to make an appointment!"_

"Claudia, I'm not sure I can drop everything and-"

 _"Amanda, you have NO idea what I'm going through here!"_ Claudia sounded frantic, " _Every strange noise I hear at my place, I think it's a kidnapper coming to seek his revenge on me! The Lucy kidnapping thing has me on pins and needles! I'm really scared! You need to come over here, Amanda! I need to see a familiar face!"_

Amanda couldn't believe it: she could either spend a frustrating night with Dean or a frustrating night with Claudia.

"Okay, but...I'm waiting for my boys and Mother to come back from dinner," Amanda explained, "so after I see them off to bed and deal with another, um, personal _matter,_ I'll be over there by around 10."

 _"Good. Try not to be late!"_

.

It took Amanda over an hour to get to Claudia's house.

"What took you so long?" Claudia complained, after she let Amanda into her apartment, "You only live 20 minutes from me."

"Like I told you, I was waiting for my boys and I had company," Amanda told her.

"I didn't even know you were dating!"

"That's because you never asked."

Claudia shrugged, "Unless you're referring to hunky Lee Silverstone, your personal life doesn't concern me in the least! Speaking of which...what's going on between you and Silverstone, anyway?"

"Nothing!" Amanda exclaimed, suddenly feeling her cheeks getting warm.

 _Lee._

 _Just the thought of him lifted her spirits._

"Is Silverstone still working on finding the kidnapper?" Claudia wanted to know.

"Yes, we both are!" Amanda assured her, "we have a possible suspect, and we even went to his temporary residence, but then we lost him again."

Claudia didn't look happy, "That was quite careless of you!"

Amanda rolled her eyes. Maybe she should have stayed with Dean.

"Claudia, if you're just going to complain, maybe I should just leave!"

"No!" Claudia quickly responded and then tried to sound cordial, "Are you, uh...thirsty? Do you want something to drink?"

"How about some coffee," Amanda suggested.

"Fine. I'll go through the trouble of making some for you!"

Claudia was already back to her old self as she headed to the kitchen.

 _ _R-R-Ring!__

Claudia's phone rang. It was on the table next to the sofa in the living room

"AMANDA, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT?" Claudia yelled from the kitchen, "TELL WHOEVER IS CALLING THAT I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!"

"ALRIGHT..." Amanda walked over to the phone and picked up.

"Hello?" she spoke into the receiver.

A male voice responded with, "Claudia? Is that you?"

Amanda instantly felt a tremor of panic rush down her back when she recognized the voice.

"Mr. Rutherford, is that you?" she speculated.

"Who's this?" he wanted to know before confirming his identification.

"This is Amanda King."

"Ah, _Mrs. King,_ " he coolly addressed, "You're JUST the person I wanted to speak with. I believe you and Silverstone have something personal of mine that you took without authorization."

 _He thought they had the stolen notepad. Amanda knew they didn't have it, but she needed a bargaining chip._

"And you have a friend of ours," Amanda coolly stated back, not admitting whether or not she had the coded notepad.

"A friend of yours?" he repeated.

"Lucy!" Amanda stated the obvious, wondering why Mr. Rutherford sounded so baffled, "You have Lucy! How could you kidnap her?!"

"Lucy? I-" he began and then whatever he was about to say, he changed his mind, "Alright. Fine. We need to meet."

"When and where?" Amanda asked.

"Bring the notepad to the Liberty Club at 9pm tomorrow night."

"I'm bringing Lee with me," Amanda warned him.

Rutherford ignored her last statement, "See you then."

Click.

The line went dead.

.

.

Back at his apartment, Lee had just finished the last of his takeout food. It had been an exhausting day and he was looking forward to a quiet night of beer and TV. He was just dumping out the last of the food, when-

 _R-R-Ring!_

He groaned when he heard his phone ringing. It was already 11 pm, and he just wanted to shut out the world. He reluctantly picked up his phone.

"Yeah, Stetson here."

"Lee? It's Amanda."

"Amanda?" Lee's irritation immediately dissipated as his senses became alert, "Is everything alright? You're okay, aren't you?"

Amanda was pleased that he cared so much about her well being, "Oh yes, I'm fine! Thank you for asking. And how are you?"

Lee smiled. Forever polite Amanda.

"I'm just fine, Amanda... Uh, is this a social call?"

"No, I'm sorry, it's not," Her tone turned more serious now, "I'm calling because Mr. Rutherford just made contact with Claudia and me. He didn't say it directly, but he insinuated that he's holding Lucy captive."

"Y-You heard from Rutherford?" Lee's tone showed surprise, which evolved into anger, "He **dared** to call you at home?"

"No, no...I'm at Claudia's."

Amanda then told the rest of the story about Rutherford wanting the coded numbers notepad in exchange for Lucy, including where and when the exchange would take place.

"... I know we don't have the coded notepad," she stated, "but I wanted him to think we did so that we could get Lucy back. Did I do the right thing?"

Lee frustratingly ran his fingers through his hair, again regretting getting Amanda involved, "Yeah, you did. It's the only way we'll get Lucy back. At least if we meet up with him, there's a chance I can squeeze some information out of him. I can be _very_ persuasive, you know."

She sounded unsure, "Lee, what you're implying... sounds...illegal."

He was evasive, "Do _you_ have another idea for getting Lucy back?"

"Well, no..."

"Then it's settled. I'll meet you tomorrow at Claudia's at seven," Lee instructed her, "we can drive together to the restaurant."

"At seven?" Amanda repeated, puzzled, "But the exchange is suppose to take place at nine."

He smiled into the phone.

"I don't know about you, Amanda, but I'm personally sick of takeout food. I thought we might as well enjoy a decent meal over _there_... what do you say?"

A tingle went down Amanda's spine as she smiled gleefully into the phone.

"Yes, tomorrow at seven o'clock over at Claudia's would be fine!" she happily concurred.

.

.

 _Please review_


	18. Chapter 18

Another Escape

Chapter 18

The Liberty Club was as upscale a restaurant as Amanda imagined it would be as she and Lee entered the establishment.

The guests were well dressed and the decor was classy, including the gold floral wallpaper running throughout the restaurant. Silver candles lit the tables, set with silver and china on white linen. The high ceiling sparkled with several crystal chandeliers in a French-looking style, all dangling from a thick chain.

While the maître d' checked up on their reservations, Lee couldn't help thinking how lovely Amanda looked. Tonight she wore a black satin-draped front dress that clung sensually along the slim lines of her body.

As the maître d' guided them to their table, Amanda seemed to float dreamily across the room as she held onto his arm. Lee couldn't help feeling proud when eyes turned to watch her.

At last they reached their designated table, located near the back of the restaurant. After being seated, Amanda continually admired the opulence of the restaurant, while Lee covertly viewed the guests dining around them or followed the motions of the servers, looking for any unusual activity.

He was, after all, on duty; this wasn't a date.

Or so he tried to convince himself.

When he turned his attentions back to her at last, Lee's pulsed picked up and his skin blazed at how soft and beautiful Amanda looked in the glowing candlelight.

The image changed when he noticed her shifting about in her seat.

"Nervous?" Lee asked.

She stopped fidgeting to give him a dazzling smile that made his heart do a flip.

"A little nervous and a _lo_ t excited!" she responded, her eyes sparkling as she admired the surroundings, "I so rarely get to dine at such an exquisite restaurant while..." her eyes went left and then right and she lowered her voice, _"...catching a kidnapper at the same time_ _ _!"__

Lee casually smiled, "Pretty typical stuff in my world."

And that only heightened Amanda's anticipation.

Soon their waitperson approached.

"Good evening," the female server formally greeted them.

The voice sounded oddly familiar and a scowl appeared on Amanda's face.

When she glanced over at the waitress, the blonde server had a smirk plastered on her face.

FRANCINE!

Lee didn't look surprised at all, "Good evening,.." he then pretended to read her name tag, "...Francine. It seems to be a busy night for you."

"Yes, indeed, Sir, but no need to worry, for I'll be keeping a close eye on _everything_ ," Francine pointedly stated.

She now looked over at Amanda, "Good evening, Madam… and don't _you_ look stunning tonight," she stated before adding in a low tone, "... _ _especially for a housewife.__ "

"Thank you, Francine... and you also look equally fetching in that server's uniform as well," Amanda calmly stated back while Lee snorted.

Francine looked befuddled; she wasn't sure if Amanda had just insulted her or not... _and_ she didn't appreciate Lee's reaction as she snapped at him, " _You think_ _ _THAT'S__ _funny?"_

Lee defensively put his hands up, " _ _Hey! I'm just here to nail a bad guy!"__

Francine shrugged and ever the professional that she was, she quickly went into undercover mode and handed them a wine list, "Do you two wish to start off your dinner with some wine?"

Still keeping his head down as if studying the wine list, Lee surreptitiously asked, _"_ _ _Our people got all the exits covered?"__

 _"_ _ _They're in place,"__ Francine concurred, and then stated in a louder tone, "I highly recommend the house Bordeaux tonight."

 _"_ _ _Be sure my car is parked in front in case we need a quick getaway__ _,"_ Lee instructed, as he handed her back the wine list, "We'll start off with a bottle of your Chardonnay."

She nodded to let him know she heard his instruction, "An excellent choice, Sir!" Francine approved as she took away the wine list and left.

 _ _So this is real spy work!__ Amanda relished. Watching Lee and Francine in action gave Amanda a delicious thrill and it doubled when she realized that __she__ was also in the middle of all this!

.

.

The wine had been ordered and placed on the table. Lee and Amanda now had menus placed in front of them. Francine soon appeared again, ready to take their order.

"Have you decided on your order?" Francine the server questioned.

"There's so much to choose from?" Amanda commented and then innocently asked, "Any dishes you'd recommend?"

 _ _Oh boy__. Lee gave a short shake of his head upon hearing Amanda's question.

Amanda looked confused when she saw Lee's reaction.

"What? Did I say that was wrong?" she asked.

He held the menu up so Francine could not see and then whispered to Amanda, "B _elieve me,_ _ _I've been on plenty of undercover restaurant missions with Francine before__ _,_ _ _and you've just asked her a loaded question!"__

"What? Why?"

in the meantime, Francine's eyes lit with mischief as she turned towards Amanda.

"Glad to be of service, Madam!" Francine enthused, "I recommend we start off with perfectly simmered, _effervescent_ beef tails that have been expertly __vacuumed__ of bones. _H_ _ _ome-spun__ chestnut gnocchi will surround the dish, finished with a light _dusting_ of the __House Chef's__ signature seasonings!"

"That's...the most personal recommendation I've every received," Amanda awkwardly commented.

"An excellent choice, Madam! You will not be disappointed!" Francine nodded. Then she turned to Lee, "And for you, Sir-"

He immediately responded with, "Uh, no, I think I can recommend my own fabulous dish, snide server..."

"Ohh, but I insist!" Francine scoffed, " _and_ I've saved the __best__ recommendation for you _!_ "

"Why am I not surprised?" Lee readied himself.

Francine began, "For you, we will begin with the _w _ild__ duck __breast__ _and_ _ _leg__ _,_ stuffed with __hand-rubbed__ couscous, surrounded _seductively_ by a sprinkling of apples. These fruits have been personally picked by _vestal maidens_ __dancing under a full moon__ _,_ topped by divine pickled olives!"

"I bet you know all _about_ being __pickled__ _,_ " Lee straight-faced.

"Oh a fine, fine choice, Sir!" Francine smirked as she took away the menus and left again.

.

From there, the dinner went _uphill._

Amanda couldn't remember a time when she had such a wonderful dinner. Talking to Lee was natural and easy. It felt as if Amanda could talk to him all night long. She was comfortable with him, not only because he was looking out for her, but also that he was a guy with no pretense. Lee was direct, funny, and interesting.

A refreshing combination.

 _Too bad this_ _ _wasn't__ _a date._

"So your people are all around this place, aren't they? It's like this place is being protected like it's Fort Knox," Amanda commented during the middle of their dinner, as she took a bite of her oxtail. It was superbly cooked.

After taking a bite of his duck, Lee wiped his mouth with his napkin, "We can't take any chances, Amanda, especially when dealing with a powerful man like Rutherford. Plus we now have a civilian in the mix of this."

Amanda looked wide-eyed, "You mean me?"

He smiled, getting a kick that she found everything so amazing, "Yes, I mean you, Amanda."

She returned his smile.

She liked caring, protective Lee.

"I do have to apologize for one thing, though," he stated, with regretful eyes.

Amanda couldn't imagine what that could be as she placed her fork down. She looked concerned.

"Oh? What's that?"  
"I'm sorry we had Francine as our server tonight!" Lee jested, as he reached for his wine glass.

"Oh, yes, Francine!" Amanda's eyes gleamed with merriment, "Actually I thought she was perfectly fine! And you have to admit, she's quite an improvement over our waitress Brenda from the coffee shop!"

 _"_ Oh yes, Brenda from the coffee shop," Lee could fondly recall the incident now, "speaking of which, did I tell you the other day I went back to that coffee shop to see her?"

 _He went back to see Brenda?_ Amanda felt pangs of jealousy, and she hated that she felt that way.

"Uh, no...you never mentioned it," she tried to sound nonchalant, but it was hard, "You went and saw her...on purpose?"

"You bet I did," Lee confessed, "I wanted to apologize for pretending I didn't know her...and to again explain to her that I was never an astronaut."

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't to ask Brenda out.

"Oh? and did she believe you this time?"

"She did...and then she remembered that the last time we were there, I had a briefcase with me. She guessed that I must be a powerful lawyer working on some big-time case!"

The conversation definitely became lighter, "Don't tell me you lied to her again!"

"Of course I wouldn't tell her that!" Lee looked offended.

Amanda relaxed, "Oh good."

"No, instead, I went bigger and better!" Lee continued, "I told her I was a federal judge!"

"You didn't!" Amanda's eyes danced with merriment, "And what did she say to __that?__ "

"Oh, she was quite impressed, let me tell you!" Lee jovially grinned, "afterwards, she continually called me, 'Your Judgeship' AND I got a free slice of pie, too!"

 _"Oh, you are SO bad!"_ Amanda laughed as he joined in _._

Amanda had never felt so at ease with a man. She found Lee was so easy to talk with. He even showed genuine interest when they switched to more mundane subjects such as her busy life outside of the library or the antics of her boys.

After the dishes were cleared, the after-dinner cappuccinos were placed before them. It was almost 9 pm.

Lee was actually enjoying himself. Everything Amanda said was funny, intelligent and cheerful.

And he felt himself drawn to her.

"I'm really having a nice time, Amanda," he openly admitted, after a sip of his drink.

Tingles raced over her flesh at his simple admission. To her, Lee was a complex blend of bravery, perceptiveness and duty. And his green eyes unnerved her.

She exhaled a slow breath, "Me too."

His face had been guarded, but now his expression softened at her agreement. He resisted the urge to hold her hand to make his point, "Amanda, I know this is a working dinner, but having you here means so much to me..."

Surprise rippled throughout every cell in her body. Her entire being vibrated with nervous anticipation as she encouraged him, "And?"

How could Lee explain that she was like this ray of sunshine in his dark dreary life?

Lee could feel nerves brewing around his belly, " _And_...whenever you're near me, I feel-"

"Mr. Silverstone. Mrs. King...we meet again."

A male's voice interrupted his admission.

Hunter Rutherford stood before them. Two of his bodyguards had taken a table adjacent to them.

Disappointment filled Amanda's heart as Lee's jaw immediately clenched while his expression became all businesslike. His emotions instantly became hidden again beneath his stern visage, faster than she thought possible.

"Mr. Rutherford," Lee coolly greeted him, "won't you have a seat?"

Amanda could only nod, her head still reeling from the missed opportunity.

"Don't mind if I do," Hunter responded.

After Rutherford sat, a cognac was immediately placed in front of him.

He took a sip, "Usually I do the small talk route in order to ease everyone in before we get down to business, but there's no need to at this point, is there?"

"No," Lee told him, "You lay out all your cards on the table and I'll do the same."

"Fine." Hunter stated, "I need you to hand over my notepad. It's as simple as that."

"Not quite that simple. You need to hand over Lucy _first_ ," Lee bargained.

Rutherford calmly sat back, his forehead furrowed, "Amanda had mentioned Lucy missing...and I'm sorry to hear that being that she is a very nice girl...but the fact is, I do not have Lucy."

"Oh come on, Rutherford!" Lee obviously wasn't buying it, "we _saw_ the video tape of your right hand man, Hiltson, dragging her into his hotel room!"

"What Hiltson does in his free time is no concern of mine!" Hunter snapped. He then nonchalantly leaned in, "but perhaps I can lean on him if you will first produce the notepad to me!"

Lee struggled to control his emotions,"I've got news for you, Rutherford. We also don't have what YOU want back! We never did!"

For a split second, Hunter looked shocked at this announcement. Then he narrowed his eyes and leaned in, "Let's not play games now, Silverstone! I had that notepad hidden in my library the day of the party!" he stated through gritted teeth, "After you left, it went missing!"

Amanda spoke out, "Mr. Rutherford, Lee is telling the truth. He doesn't have it."

Hunter then glared at Amanda, "He's lying then!"

"Don't you talk to her that way!" growled Lee, "And if I DID possession of the notepad, you wouldn't be here...you'd be rotting in jail!"

"If you two don't have the notepad, then you can get it for me!" Rutherford proposed.

"Just like that?" Lee stated, "and how are we suppose to do _that?"_

"How am I supposed to know? You find that way and maybe I'll find a way to get Lucy back to _you_!" Rutherford's eyes blazed with anger, "What a waste of time this has been! This meeting is OVER! Contact me when you've got what I want!"

He got up to leave.

Lee also got up to go after Rutherford.

But his two bodyguards instantly blocked Lee's way.

They stood there like a solid wall until Rutherford had left the restaurant. Then they turned around and followed him out.

Lee sat back down again, perturbed.

Amanda confusingly asked, "Lee, what just happened?"

"Evidently Rutherford claims he doesn't have Lucy and we can't prove otherwise!"

"Does this often happen in the spy world?" she asked, "this sudden confusion?"

" _Quite_ often," he bitterly retorted.

"I don't have any doubt that we will get Lucy back and soon," Amanda committed with certainty.

Lee intently watched her, appreciation showed in his eyes.

Her faith in him as an agent was unwavering.

His expression immediately softened, "You know, Amanda, unlike Rutherford, tonight wasn't a total waste of time for me."

Amanda tilted her head, "It wasn't?"

"Not in the least," his mouth curved into a short smile, "We shared a wonderful dinner, didn't we?"

A warmth spread over Amanda, "Yes. It was very nice," she paused as if debating to ask, "So what were you about to say earlier to me?"

All kinds of emotions swirled inside of him when suddenly his common sense brought every warm thought to a screeching halt. _They were in a middle of a mission. And Amanda had a boyfriend. Also, the last thing he needed was an emotional commitment. What was he thinking?_

"Yeah, well..." he gave an awkward laugh "...actually it's getting late and the dinner's been over for a time..."

Amanda's heart dropped again.

 _She could not understand why Lee ran so hot and cold_.

 _But she would not act like it was a big deal._

"You're right; we should leave," she evenly stated.

He stood and helped Amanda out of her chair.

Her shoulder accidentally brushed against him as she stood and they both blushed and looked away. Amanda then awkwardly grabbed her purse without glancing his way again.

Lee informed her, "The car is parked-"

He never got to finish.

 _Bsssh t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-_

In the next second, the sound of a rifle shot cracked like thunder. It was accompanied by the tinkling of breaking glass from the chandelier. The shot caused the glittering crystals to explode throughout the air.

CHHHHHHKKKKKKKKK!

The blinding flashes of white and crystals scorched Amanda's sight.

Screaming and running erupted into pandemonium throughout the restaurant. Amanda saw tiny glass pieces spraying into the room like sparkling stars and she ducked.

Another shot, this time barely missing Amanda and hitting their table.

 _Bsssh t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-BAM!_

Amanda began trembling with fright, wondering where the shots were coming from. Her feet felt glued to the floor.

"Amanda!"

Through the thick din, she heard Lee calling out her name.

But he didn't call out again.

.

,

 _Please review_


	19. Chapter 19

A Surprise

Chapter 19

Lee and Amanda had just finished their meeting with Hunter Rutherford at a swanky restaurant when shots were fired. One shot damaged the chandelier and the next one hit their table, which had been located at the back of the restaurant.

Amid the bedlam of everyone shouting and running, Amanda was frozen in fear, unsure as to how to react.

Then out of nowhere, she felt an arm snake around her waist.

"Ooomph!"

Before she realized what was happening, Lee's powerful arm was pulling her safely down underneath the table after the second shot rang out. The tablecloth hung down over the sides, providing cover. Still, Lee knew they were far from out of danger.

"Heyyy...you okay?" Lee asked from their uncomfortable crouched position. He could feel Amanda's body trembling.

"I-I think so, but I-I'm scared," she honestly answered, "those shots were too close for comfort!"

"Actually, it's good that you're scared; it'll keep your adrenaline flowing and your eyes alert," he encouraged, looking about the noisy pandemonium, "in the meantime, we gotta get out of here!"

"Alright," she trustingly complied, "Lead the way and I'll follow."

 _She had so much faith in him._

Still crouched below the table top level with Amanda beside him, Lee took a few powerful strides on bent legs until he reached the emergency door. Then thrusting one leg out, he kicked with enough force so that the door flung opened.

 _Bweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_

The door alarm instantly sounded off.

 _Bsssh t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-_

Another shot rang out, this time hitting the ground near Lee's feet.

"LEE!"

"I'M ALRIGHT!" he assured her, "LET'S GO!"

 _Bsssh t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-_

A fourth shot hit the ground between them, startling Amanda and causing her to revert back to the safety of the table.

"AMANDA!"

"LEE! I'M SCARED!"

Lee pleadingly held out his hand, "AMANDA, IT'S OKAY! WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER!"

She glanced down at his opened hand. Then like a diver ready to jump from a high springboard, she took a nervous, deep breath, grasped his hand, and then they practically flung themselves outside.

Chaotic yelling from inside and outside the restaurant continued, as they found themselves situated in the back alley. It was dark, cold and foreboding outside.

"Amanda, you alright?"

"Yes, thank you, Lee," she assured him, however, there was a scowl on her face,"but I just remembered something...I left my coat inside!"

Lee instinctively reacted by quickly removing his jacket and draping it over her shoulder, "here, take this."

Amanda instantly felt his warmth and inhaled his masculine scent as she pulled the jacket tighter against her body. And of course, wearing something he had just worn absolutely thrilled her.

While she gratefully acknowledged, Lee was already instructing her, "Come on, we need to get to the car!"

Silently nodding, Amanda used one hand to hold the lapels shut in order to keep the jacket close to her body. Then her pulse raced when Lee instinctively grasped her free hand, and they sprinted towards the entrance to the restaurant.

Amanda could feel her heart pounding, but she wasn't sure if it was due to the craziness of the night or Lee holding her hand.

Reaching the end of the alley, they saw Francine and other agents directing the onslaught of frightened customers and employees away from the restaurant. The entrance area was a total mess, with confused people running in all directions.  
Police sirens could be heard in the near distance.

Lee rushed over to Francine, and in a slightly louder voice so he could be heard, asked, "Francine! Did you see Rutherford leave?"

"Yes, our agents spotted him leaving just before the shots began," Francine reported.

Lee looked irritated, "Rutherford could have ordered someone to start shooting after he left! Why hadn't you instructed our agents to detain him?"

"On what charge, Lee?" Francine argued, "Of Rutherford not ordering enough food inside the restaurant?"

"What about the coincidence of Rutherford leaving and the shots beginning?!" Lee snapped.

"That charge wouldn't hold water and you know it!" Francine disputed, as more people passed them, "If anything, according to our agents, Rutherford actually appeared _surprised_ when the firing began just before he got into his limo!"

A small group of people began shoving Francine out of the way.

"HEY!" Francine yelled, "STOP _PUSHING_ ME OR NEXT TIME YOU'LL BE _PUSHING YOUR LUCK!_ "

The crowd chose to cautiously go around her instead.

Then Francine calmly informed Lee, "I think the three of us should leave this mess before the police arrive and ask questions."

Lee nodded. The last thing he wanted was for them to be interrogated by the police. He spotted his car parked right in front of the restaurant, just as he instructed. After directing Amanda into the passenger side of the front seat, he went to the driver's side and the Porsche took off.

Now on the road, Lee was driving fast, but not enough to attract attention. He glanced over at Amanda, who was staring out the window, her eyes wide.

And he realized that Amanda was not trained on how to deal with being shot at.

"You're safe now, Amanda," he gently assured her, "so relax. Concentrate on breathing _slowly_ in and out...in and out...that's right...in and out..."

Amanda did feel calmer afterwards. At last she found her voice.

"Oh my gosh, Lee! We were almost shot! With a real weapon!"

"Seems that way," he admitted, as he drove onward, "but, actually, you probably weren't in any _real_ danger. I don't think whoever was shooting at us was trying to kill us."

Amanda looked surprised, "You could've fooled me!" then she followed up with, "why would you say that?"

"Think about it, Amanda," Lee reasoned, "the shooter shot the chandelier first...like he or she was trying to warn us, and then the next target was our table and finally the floor, twice. The shooter either needed glasses or was a very poor marks-person. I don't think killing us was the goal...he or she was purposely giving us time to escape."

It still didn't ease Amanda's mind.

" _Bubbles,"_ she mumbled back.

"Bubbles?" Lee asked.

But she continued to murmur to herself, "bubbles, bubbles, bubbles."

 _Her thoughts are sometimes so random_ , Lee thought.

"Amanda, why are you thinking about...a style of bathing?"

"What? Oh, sorry, Lee. I was trying my own relaxation technique. You see, repeating 'bubbles' continually helps me think happy thoughts."

Lee was unconvinced, "Really? How?"

"Could you ever be mad or upset or scared when you say 'bubbles' while at the same time, visualizing a bunch of them floating about all around you?" she asked.

One side of Lee's mouth tilted into a half-smile, "Good point. I'll have to remember that technique the next time I'm being pursued by enemy agents."

She smiled.

"What about you?" Amanda inquired, "How do _you_ stay so calm in situations like this?"

Lee's face turned solemn as made a turn, "That's easy. I just get into a different state of mind, much like a duck in water."

Amanda scrunched her face, "Like...a duck in water?"

"Exactly," he confirmed, "Perfectly calm and serene on the surface, but underneath, _swish!swish_! I'm paddling frantically FAST!"

He made quick paddling motions with his hands while she laughed at that imagery.

 _At least she wasn't frightened anymore,_ he internalized. He didn't have the heart to tell her that _thi_ s was one of those rare times where he actually WAS scared...

... _scared of her getting shot, that is._

He had parked his car in front of Claudia's apartment and turned off the engine and lights.

They sat wordlessly in the car, both unsure that they wanted the night to end. When Lee glanced her way, she looked away awkwardly and vice versa.

"Well..." Lee stated, "Quite a night. Not exactly what you expected."

It was unclear if he was referring to their intimate dinner or being shot at.

She was silent, thinking.

Soooo, Lee," she tentatively began, "...it seemed as if...you wanted to tell me something earlier?"

Sweat beaded on his forehead as Lee began to stress again; Amanda probably wanted him to confess his feelings to her. Feelings! _Noooooo!_ He'd rather be tortured by enemy agents! So he did what any male would do under the circumstances.

He would avoid the issue.

"Are you referring to Rutherford stating he's not a kidnapper?"

 _So he wasn't ready,_ Amanda thought, _Hot, cold, cold, hot. Then cold, cold, cold! Well, she wouldn't be the pushy type!_

"Okay, Lee, we'll go with that..."

He relaxed, "I'm convinced more than ever that Rutherford wasn't involved in kidnapping Lucy,. Especially since when he called Claudia yesterday, you had stated that he actually sounded confused."

"That's right, Lee. He claimed he didn't know what I was talking about," Amanda stated.

Lee nodded, "...and tonight, he again denied having anything to do with Lucy. Why would he lie if the reason he supposedly kidnapped her was to get the stolen coded notepad back?"

"So you think the right-hand man, Mr. Hiltson, acted alone regarding Lucy?" Amanda asked, "after all, we got him on video with Lucy at that hotel room, so at the very least, he's guilty of kidnapping her."

"Most definitely Hiltson's guilty of kidnapping her, _but_ the problem is...we can't locate him. He has no permanent residence. Also, Hiltson doesn't have the stolen notepad either because he was demanding that I give it back to him that time we fought in his temporary hotel room," Lee reasoned, "so was he lying then? Or was it Rutherford lying? Or both?"

Amanda added a new theory, "Or none..."

"Huh?" Lee looked confused.

"Lee, I was thinking..." Amanda theorized, "maybe, just _maybe_... the theft of the notepad and the kidnapping were two _separate_ incidents not related, and someone _else_ stole the notepad..."

"A third person? That's... " he re-considered, "...a strong possibility."

"But who could be the thief?" she rhetorically asked.

He then checked his watch with regret.

"I don't know..." he stated, "but what I DO know is that it's getting rather late for you and I'm sure you want to be back home to tuck your boys in."

Amanda gave a tired sigh, "You're right, but what about Lucy?"

"Perhaps," Lee suggested, "we need to expand our investigation."

"What do you mean?"

Lee explained, "I plan to go to the Agency early tomorrow to update my boss as to everything's that happened...and if possible, I'd like you to be there, too, when we strategize our next steps."

She looked at him, shocked, "You want _me_... to be at _spy headquarters_...planning stuff with _you_?"

Again, Lee was amused by how Amanda seemed to be in awe of anything that had to do with spy work.

He playfully looked around, " _Yes, Amanda_! he exaggeratedly whispered, " _At last!... You'll get to experience covert headquarters, where all cloak-and-dagger stuff runs rampant!_ "

"Very funny," she wryly answered back, then earnestly asked, "What time are we meeting up?"

Lee went into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a business card.

"Here's the address," he stated, "Why don't we meet there at, say, around nine in the morning? Wait for me at the front reception desk and I'll be sure to get you a 'guest pass'."

Amanda was enthusiastically reading the business card he had just handed her when her expression fell. The business card had "International Film Federation" printed on it with its address and phone number.

Her voice was edged with disappointment, "So we're meeting up at some random film company site?"

He quirked a brow, "You do understand, Amanda, that the place on the card is not a _real_ film company, don't you?"

Her mind seemed to be spinning when suddenly her entire face lit, "Oh, Lee! This place is the _cover_ for your operation, isn't it?"

Lee grinned, "You _do_ catch on quickly!"

Her eyes gleamed.

"Oh, just one more thing," Lee added.

"What's that?" she asked suspiciously.

"Since I'll be showing you our offices, you might as well know my real name. It's Lee Stetson."

 _Lee Stetson._

In her mind she milled over the sound of his actual name.

 _Lee Stetson._

 _Masculine and mysterious, but not overly so._

 _It fit him perfectly._

"I like your _real_ name even better!" she gushed.

"You do?"

"Yes." When Amanda looked back at him, her eyes grateful, "and thank you."  
He tilted his head, "For what?"

"For trusting me with your name," she solemnly stated, "I promise to take it to the grave."

"Really? Because I'd like to use it for a little longer," he jested.

She did a half-laugh, "Heh."

Lee never thought espionage could be so charming and entertaining.

"Anyway, it's really getting late, so why don't I walk you to your car then," he volunteered, as Amanda felt a let down.

He got out of his side and opened Amanda's door. To help her get up and out from the passenger side, he reached out his hand to help guide her out. The moment she touched his hand, they both felt the sparks flying, but chose to ignore it..

Once she was out of the car, he had slammed the door closed, but he did not let go of her hand. Heat rose to Amanda's cheeks the longer she was in physical contact with him.

A numbing warmth flooded Lee's body as he continued to stand, holding her hand. The air felt heavy in his lungs, something that never happened to him. In the darkness of the night, jitters and yearnings filled both of their minds as they continued to stare at one another. They were both held spellbound.

She watched wide-eyed when Lee brought her hand up and kissed the back of it gently with his lips. Then squeezing her hand, he released it.

It took all of Lee's discipline not to take her into his arms. He knew the type of woman she was and all he could offer her was one glorious night with broken promises at the end of it all.

Still...

His voice sounded raspy, "Amanda..."

Her lips were trembling at the way he said her name, "Yes, Lee?"

"I, that is, I'm..." he licked his lips and tried again, "...I'm glad you are here with me tonight," he awkwardly rushed.

For just a split second, Amanda wanted him to encourage him, to reach out and touch him, to luxuriate in his touch...

 _But **...** she knew what type of man Lee Stetson was. He was a debonair spy who probably wined and dined the most beautiful and worldly women around._

 _And she was a housewife who was looking for adventure, not a man. Especially not one who took relationships so casually._

Her smile was respectful, "See you tomorrow, Lee."

They walked over to her car, but then they looked up when they heard the front door to Claudia's residence abruptly burst opened.

"AMANDA! LEE! THANK GOD YOU'RE BACK!" Claudia was calling for them. Dressed in a furry pink bathrobe, she went flying down the stairs and reached them in no time.

She was breathing hard.

"Claudia!" Amanda exclaimed, "Slow down and catch your breath!"

"I...caught...you...two..." Claudia huffed, trying to get more air in her lungs.

Lee and Amanda looked alarmed.

"...just...in... time," she concluded, between gasping breaths.

They relaxed.

Because of Claudia's hurried presence,Amanda then concernedly asked, "Claudia, did something bad happen to you?"

By now Claudia was back to breathing normally, although her brow was furrowed, "Nooo, nothing BAAAD happened to me, Amanda! Why are you such a pessimist?"

"Forget she asked that!" Lee brusquely stated, "What is it you wanted to tell us?"

"It's LUCY!" Claudia joyously exclaimed, "an hour ago, she arrived at my doorstep!"

"OH MY GOSH!" Amanda looked astonished, "You mean she's alright and she's here _now_? In your apartment?"

"Yes!...Naturally, she came to me FIRST!" Claudia proudly announced.

.

.

 _A special thanks to the reviewers and 'guest' reviewers. You all make my day!_

 _Please review_


	20. Chapter 20

A Plan

Chapter 20

Lee and Amanda was back at Claudia's apartment again. Although it was late at night, Amanda was anxious to find out what had happened to Lucy during her day and a half of captivity.

After the usual greetings and hugs from everyone, Lucy settled back down on the sofa, legs tucked underneath her. Her hair was slightly damp from a shower and she was obviously wearing Claudia's over sized sweats. She looked exhausted but relieved.

Claudia had spread out some snacks and drinks for everyone while Lucy told them what had happened.

"...so I was basically kept in this big room, like, an abandoned warehouse," she was explaining, "I couldn't tell you where it was because I was blindfolded the whole time I was driven there and back."

"Did they treat you alright?" Amanda asked, concerned. "Were you hurt in any way?"

Lucy shook her head, "I'm fine, and it wasn't a 'they'; there was only one man with me the entire time," she told them.

"I bet it was that man with the salt-and-pepper hair!" Claudia confidently declared.

"You're right! You know about him?" Lucy was surprised, and then she shrugged, "He didn't do anything to me that was so bad, I guess. I mean, I was scared, but he never threatened me or hurt me. He even fed me. A little bit. Mostly he left me alone. He spent a lot of the time in the other room. On the phone." Her eyes then looked searchingly at Lee and Amanda, "So do you two know who this man is?"

"We do," Lee nodded. "Do you have any idea why the kidnapper let you go?"

"I think it may have to do with the phone call. The other guy on the line was yelling really loud at the kidnapper guy, although I couldn't make out the words since the door was closed. Afterwards when the kidnapper guy came back to my room, he immediately blindfolded me again and I ended up at Claudia's apartment!"

Lee next asked, "Did the kidnapper ever mention some kind of coded notepad with a list of numbers on it?"

"No," Lucy responded, shaking her head, "not that I recall."

Lee attempted again, but changed the wording, "...how about...mentioning a _shipment booklet,_ or some other name close to that?"

"Shipment booklet...shipment booklet..." Lucy repeated, mulling the words in her mind and then something clicked for her, "You know...I think at one point in the other room the kidnapper guy was yelling back into the phone that he didn't have the shipment _binder_ , or something like that...is that what you mean?"

Lee looked excited, "Sounds like it...did you overhear anything else?"

"No," she shook her head with a scowl, "I'm sorry, Mr. Silverstone, that I couldn't be of more help to you."

Lee feigned a smile for Lucy's sake, "What you told us helped a lot, Lucy, believe me... anyway, I know it's late and you need to rest."

Lucy heaved a weary sigh and admitted, "I __am__ _ti_ red," she looked at her boss, "and thank you, Claudia, for letting me crash here tonight."

"That's __me__ _.._.forever long-suffering!" Claudia declared.

Amanda added, "Lucy, we're so very glad you're safe and sound," she stood, "You get a good rest and I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright, Amanda," Lucy also stood and gave Amanda a special hug.

Everyone said their goodbyes.

And once again Lee was walking Amanda outside to her car.

"So Lucy basically verified that neither Rutherford nor Hiltson has the coded notepad," a discouraged Lee stated, "that means your theory about a third person being culpable in the theft is sounding more like a fact."

"And if _that's_ true," Amanda theorized, "the thief has to be someone from the party since the coded notepad was probably stolen that day. Perhaps... a staff member?"

"hmmm..." Lee considered and then an idea popped into his mind, "Amanda, I just thought of something..."

"What is it?"

"At the day of the party, I remembered Rutherford offhandedly mentioning that the bartender had _finally_ arrived with the mango smoothies..."

"The bartender?" Amanda considered the possibility, "You think it was the __bartender__ who stole the coded notepad?"

"Makes sense...a bartender would never arrive AFTER a party is in full swing; he knows better than that if he wants to make his tips!"

"Ohhh, good point, Lee!" Amanda exclaimed, "and I just thought of something else. The book with the hidden compartment was a book on 'mixology'! Bartender; mixology book. Get the connection?"

"You're right...I had forgotten about that book!" Lee beamed at Amanda.

"Except, even if it was the bartender who had stolen the coded notepad," Amanda pointedly stated, "we have no way of finding him, since we don't know his name!"

"We may not know his name __yet__ _,_ but I know how we CAN find out," Lee claimed, "when we had been searching in Rutherford's library the day of the party, I saw a list of Rutherford's employees for that night in the bottom drawer of his writing desk. I'm sure the bartender's name is on that list!"

Amanda was so excited with this new revelation, _however_...she had two young boys and a laundry basket filled with dirty clothes waiting for her at home.

She drew in a deep breath, "I'm glad that we have another good clue to go on...but, unfortunately, it's getting late and I should go..."

Lee tried not to look disappointed at her announcement.

"Sure, I understand," he stated, but then encouragingly added, "however, tomorrow should be a _verry_ interesting day for you!"

"Tomorrow?"

"You don't remember? You'll be meeting up with me at the Agency!"

Her entire face lit up, "Oh my gosh, it _had_ slipped my mind, but now I can't wait!..." Her expression then turned tentative, "Now Lee... are you __sure__ it'll be alright for you to take me into the inner sanctum of your spy place?"

"We should be alright _._.." he stated, stifling a smile,"...as long as we go there during regular __spy__ visiting hours!"

"Heh."

They had now reached her car. Soft golden lights spread in rectangular patches from each doorway or window of Claudia's apartment. The rest of the area was shrouded in darkness due to the thick tree limbs, with only a little moonlight penetrating through. But it was enough for Lee to make out Amanda's features, and she looked even lovelier tonight.

 _ _However, the last thing Lee wanted to be was attracted to Amanda. The challenge of a mission was what drove his life; not home life and security. Yet he couldn't understand why sometimes his heart seemed to tumble riotously whenever he was near her.__

 _ _He needed to say something; anything to break the intimacy of the night.__

"Quite an adventure you're having so far, wouldn't you say?"

 _He internally groaned at his dumb question._

W _ _asn't he supposed to be GOOD at talking with women?__

But Amanda took the question seriously, "This mission has been _extraordinary,_ Lee! I never thought..." she searched for the right words, "...I never thought it would be like this!"

 _ _Especially when she could share her adventures alongside a handsome, intriguing, chivalrous spy!__

Lee asked sincerely, "No regrets then?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't change a thing!" she gushed, and then reconsidered, "Welllll, except for the part with Lucy getting kidnapped, you getting beat up, and me getting shot at!"

He looked pleased, "You seem to be doing an excellent job of coping with everything, Amanda. Better than most trained agents I know."

Her heart give a little stutter at his kind words, "Thank you, Lee."

Their eyes connected and the night suddenly sizzled.

Amanda felt her heart do a flip flop at the intensity of his gaze.

Lee felt a yearning ache deep in the pit of his stomach. He wanted so much to reach out to her and...

 _ _NO...It wouldn't be fair to her.__

But he did reach out towards Amanda...but it was only to open the driver's side car door for her.

Amanda had been holding her breath, wide-eyed when he had leaned in. Now a flush rushed up to her cheeks at letting her imagination go wild.

"Um..." he cleared his throat as he swung the door opened, "...so, Amanda, I guess...I'll see you tomorrow."

Taking a deep breath, she collected herself and got in. After he shut the door, she rolled down the window and forced a cheery, "I'll see you at the spy office tomorrow, Lee!"

"Yeah _'spy office_ '," Lee mumbled humorously to himself.

Then he flashed her a smile that made her almost swoon, "Good night, Amanda."

As he stood alone and watched her station wagon drive away, his look became introspective.

 _ _Thoughts of her usually came in waves for him but tonight, he seemed to be drowning.__

.

The next morning Amanda felt enthused. The Agency was very much like the spy headquarters fictional agent Veronica La Rue reported to...a nondescript building used as a cover for spy work.

And just like her spy novel, when she and Lee had first entered the structure, a secret code was a requirement for further access. Once cleared, Lee led her to what seemed to be a closet. At first Amanda was confused until she found herself inside a hidden elevator going down a floor. When the doors slid opened she encountered professionally-dressed people bustling in and out of glass cubicle offices.

And when Amanda met Billy in his office, she instantly liked him.

And the feeling seemed to be mutual.

"Glad to meet you in person, Mrs. King!" Billy stated, after introductions were made as Lee and Amanda sat across from him, "I've heard quite a lot about you!"

Amanda blushed slightly, "I hope it was all good, Sir."

"Good in all the areas where it matters!" Billy cheerfully exclaimed.

They exchanged other pleasantries. Soon, there was a knock, the door opened and Francine entered.

"I know I'm late but I've just completed the security check on Rutherford's place that you'd requested," she informed Lee and Billy, placing the file on the desk. She then looked Amanda's way, "Well, well! if it isn't Mrs. King again!" she caustically stated, "I had almost forgotten how housewives are dressing these days!"

"Hello, Francine," Amanda stated, seemingly not bothered by Francine's put down, "so nice to see you again. I heard what an excellent agent you are, so I am honored to be working with you!"

Francine's smug smile disappeared.

 _"Uh...HonoredToBeHonored!_ " she quickly muttered before awkwardly slinking down in her seat.

After a snort from Lee, he then updated Billy and Francine regarding the theory that it could have been the bartender who stole the coded notepad and that, unfortunately, they do not know his identity.

"Francine, maybe you know his name," Amanda hoped, "You were there that afternoon working undercover at Mr. Rutherford's party. Any chance you remembered the bartender?"

Francine rolled her eyes, " _ _Remember__ him? Pfft! Trying to __avoid__ him, is more like it! Seems the guy has a thing for blondes. He practically _tackled_ me every time he saw me!"

"Maybe he thought you were a football player with those wide shoulders of yours," Lee joked.

"Hardy har." Then Francine addressed Amanda, "And in answer to your question, Amanda, the guy never gave his real name. I guess he wanted to sound more dangerous, so he insisted everyone call him 'Razor', if you can believe that!"

"Oh dear," Amanda groaned, "so how will we ever find out the bartender's name?"

"Easy," Lee stated, "when I was rifling through Rutherford's desk at the party, I noticed a paper with all the employees' names listed for that afternoon. I'm sure the bartender's name could be found there, too."

Amanda looked surprised, "So how do you plan to get the list from Mr. Rutherford?"

"By breaking into Rutherford's place and getting it, of course," Lee plainly stated the obvious.

"You plan to break into someone's residence?" Amanda questioned, "Isn't that illegal?"

Francine dryly stated, "Not if it's the government doing it."

"There _i_ _ _s__ one problem, however," Lee warned, "While surveilling his place, I noticed that Rutherford has quite an elaborate security system. His house not only has numerous staff and guards around, it also has an extensive communications system inside a secured control room. That's why I asked Francine to do some additional research," he turned to Francine, "So what additional info did you find out about Rutherford's security structure, Francine?"

"Simply put, Rutherford's mansion is built like a fortress," Francine stated, "he has men guarding the exterior and I assume the interior of his residence, and his communication software is patterned after the type the military used."

Billy looked displeased,"Military style technology? We have no experience in breaking into that kind of system!"

Francine concurred, "You're right, Billy. And if we can't break the communication codes, it'll be virtually impossible for us to get inside Rutherford's place."

Billy didn't want to believe that, "No way at all?"

"We could send a team of highly-skilled agents, an armored tank and massive explosives to _force_ our way in," Francine mocked, "but I wouldn't recommend it."

"Wait, Francine," Amanda interrupted, "...did you say Mr. Rutherford uses military-type equipment as his communication framework?"

"She did," Billy confirmed, wondering what her point was, "What are you thinking, Mrs. King?"

"I'm not sure if this pertains, Sir," Amanda stated, "but the other day my son Philip and I were doing research on the U.S. military of today and a couple of the articles stated how their technological equipment is often outdated."

"You're right about that, Amanda," Lee confirmed. "The military's _only_ supplier is our government, which means the government can set the price to whatever they want. This causes the military's spending budget to skyrocket and that's why the military can't afford to constantly update their equipment."

Billy was puzzled, "So how does knowing _this_ information have to do with Rutherford's security system, Mrs. King?"

"Well, it just seems to me that a regular computer tech would find it hard to break into Mr. Rutherford's military-based security, so why don't we fight military with military? We could get a computer expert from the __military__ side to hack Mr. Rutherford's system!"

"Hey, that just might work!" Lee excitedly commented, "And coincidentally, I happen to know a guy who was formerly a Navy SEALS. He had specialized in military coding and was tops in his field! We could contact him and I bet he would be able to show Francine how to breach Rutherford's communications system!"

"Oh _really_? He's that good?" Francine was definitely interested, "And is this presumably _bulked-up_ Navy SEALS man _single?"_

Lee grinned, "His wife and two children don't think so, Francine!"

"Oh." Francine disappointingly slumped back in her seat.

"The idea of using your man, Lee, sounds good," Billy supposed, " _but._..even if your guy can train Francine to hack the communication codes and break the security, how are we going to get pass Rutherford's highly trained men? We have no way of knowing how many there are or where they are stationed at, since his estate is massive."

"I may know a way," Amanda quietly proposed.

All three heads turned her way at once.

"You?" Francine looked incredulous, "YOU have a way for us to get pass Rutherford's well-trained guards?"

Amanda nodded, "I think so. "

"This I gotta hear!" Francine enthusiastically stated, "And keep in mind, Amanda, that we are limited in manpower and weapons."

"Oh, we'll need none of that," Amanda guaranteed, "all we need is _us._ "

Lee jokingly asked, "So you're sure no combat vehicle, submarine, or missiles will be needed?"

Amanda smiled, "That could be our Plan B."

Billy looked hopeful, "Mrs. King, this plan you're thinking of...no forceful entry will be required?"

"No, and if all goes as planned, Sir, no one will be harmed on either side."

Francine looked tentative, "The set-up for your little scheme sounds elaborate and time-consuming."

"Not at all, Francine," Amanda assured her, "In fact, we'll just need to make one ten-minute phone call!"

"Now, _t_ _ _hat's__ my kind of a plan!" Billy happily declared, as Lee looked proudly at Amanda.

.

.

Please review


	21. Chapter 21

Sleepover Surveillance

Chapter 21

A nondescript van was parked across the street and down the ways from Hunter Rutherford's mansion. Inside the back of the vehicle was Lee, Amanda and Billy, with Francine operating the control panel.

With binoculars in his hands, Lee looked out the darkened window of the van. The four were in the van waiting for Rutherford to leave his premises and they had no idea when it would be. They were planning to break into the mansion to get the name of the bartender who had allegedly stolen the coded notebook.

They had just started but even now, everyone looked bored being cooped up in the van together.

Lee sighed, "Surveillance is the most tedious, humdrum, _boring_ assignment for a spy."

"Doesn't have to be!" Amanda cheerfully responded back, as she brought her big purse to the front of her body and stuck her hand in it, "I think I may have something that might break up the tedium!"

Francine curiously craned her neck, "Don't tell me...you've got some Bingo cards stashed in there?"

"Not even close..." Amanda mysteriously stated as she stopped her rummaging to produce a filled brown paper bag, "I've got some homemade chocolate chip cookies that I baked last night! Anyone interested in one while we wait?"

"You don't have to tell ME twice!"Billy enthused, reaching in and pulling out one perfectly baked cookie, "Thanks!"

After taking one bite, he momentarily shut his eyes to savor his morsel, "Mmmm...this cookie is _heavenly_ , Mrs King!"

"Thank you, Sir!"

He relished the second bite as well, "...the only thing that might improve it is if we had some milk!"

"You're in luck, Sir..." Amanda responded, "Earlier, before we took offn, I had placed a carton of milk in the mini-fridge of this van!"

"You don't say!" Billy wondered in awe as he rushed over to the mini-fridge, "Welllll, I'll be... would you looked at that!" he pleasantly announced, displaying the milk carton for everyone to see.

Lee jested, "Never doubt Amanda when it comes to the perfect snack!"

Billy came over with a tray of cleaned mugs and poured milk into each container.

Amanda swung the bag over to Francine, "Would you like one, Francine?" she asked.

"Oh no, I shouldn't..." Francine hesitated, "I'm watching my figure..."

"... _one_ teeny cookie wouldn't hurt that slim figure of yours," Amanda enticed her.

It didn't take much for Francine to reconsider, "You right, I suppose. After all, I've always lived dangerously, haven't I? I'll just promise myself to do some sit ups later on today!"

"You're not fooling anyone, Francine," Lee interjected, still looking through the binoculars "your main exercise consists of ONE _lunge_ and ONE _crunch..._ in other words, _'_ _lunch'_!"

"Ha! I wouldn't talk about getting _fit_ if I were you," shot back Francine, "You don't seem to understand that _lapping_ women in the office is NOT considered running!"

Amanda and Billy exchanged amused glances.

Then Amanda held out the opened bag to Lee.

"Lee, would you like one?" she asked, her eyes warm and inviting.

He put down his binoculars and came over, "Don't mind if I do!" he smiled sincerely. Suddenly surveillance seemed enjoyable and the usual snack of store-bought dip paled in comparison, "Thanks, Amanda! I appreciate that you were smart enough to make something I could hold with one hand while I continue my surveillance!"

He went back to his post just as Francine took a bite of her cookie and frowned, "Hey! Mine isn't a chocolate chip cookie...it's a raisin cookie!"

"Oh, that's right; sorry, I forgot!" Amanda apologized, "I threw in some raisin cookies I baked last night, too!"

Francine quirked a brow, "...and you wonder why I have trust issues?"

Amanda held out the bag to her, "Would you like to take a chance on maybe _this_ time getting a chocolate chip, Francine?"

"Maybe after I finish this raisin one," she decided. She took a bite, "Wow. Fabulous! You know, Amanda, your raisin cookies are better than the ones I've purchase at the upscale bakery _La Boulangerie_ in DC!"

"You should be flattered, Amanda," Lee told her, "a compliment from Francine is so rare that you'd need a pick axe to find the last one!"

Amanda laughed, "Thanks, Francine."

Billy asked, "Sayyy, you don't mind if I have _another_ one, do you, Mrs. King? It's just that... I, uh, still have quite a bit of milk leftover!

Amanda looked pleased as she held out the bag to him, "Not at all, Sir...help yourself!"

She then looked at Lee, who had a cookie in one hand and the binoculars in the other, "any luck with spotting Rutherford leaving?"

"Not yet," Lee stated, his eyes glued to the binoculars.

"At least the waiting isn't as boring as usual, " Billy commented as he took another bite, "Mmmmm...I wish, Mrs. King, that there was a way for us to pay you for this delectable treat!"

"Actually I do have one request, Sir," Amanda humbly stated, "from all of you."

"Oh?" Billy questioned, "What is it you could possibly want from us?"

"Perhaps, Sir, in exchange for the cookies, all of you could share some spy stories with me," she suggested, "I'd like to hear examples of the dangers the three of you had faced before."

Francine immediately piped in, "That's right down _Lee's_ alley! He keeps insisting that the words _'dangerous'_ and ' _mysterious'_ should be part of his name!"

"I wouldn't mind beginning," Lee stated as he held out the binoculars to Francine, "but that means _you're_ on duty!"

"Like I'd want to listen to another fabricated story of yours anyway!" she stated as she got up and relieved Lee of binoculars-duty.

"I'll make my story short and and to the point," Lee began, taking Francine's seat, "it was the time I jumped onto a moving car before being smashed down the cliff. "

"Oh my gosh! Your car was smashed down a cliff?"

"No, my car was fine. I was referring to _me_."

"Oh my double gosh!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Oh, that story is SO exaggerated!" Francine insisted.

"I don't exaggerate!" insisted Lee.

"Really?" Francine stated, "alright, then, answer this...how much more attractive are you than me?"

"Like a _bazillion_ times more!" Lee jested.

"What'd I tell you?" Francine stated as everyone chuckled.

Amanda then asked, "What about your 'danger' story, Francine?"

"There's so many, I can't seem to pick just one," she claimed.

Lee scoffed at Francine, "Danger for Francine means being dateless on Fridays!"

Everyone expected Francine to look indignant, but she seemed to accept that description.

"Actually Lee may be right about that," Francine honestly stated, as she handed Lee the binoculars back, "I fret and worry whenever I'm home on my Friday nights. But maybe I'm asking for too much in a man; maybe it's better being dateless. Especially since the last date I went on was SO disappointing. It was a blind date, set up by Mona from HR."

"That date didn't work out?" Lee asked, really curious, "What happened...another man didn't meet your expectations, Francine?"

"Oh, the guy was great!" Francine claimed with a daydreamed expression, "Tall. Handsome, Witty. Great career. The perfect catch!"

"Then what went wrong?" Amanda asked.

Francine made a face, "Mona had accidentally set me up with my first cousin!"

Everyone had a good laugh.

Billy then interjected his story.

"I remembered when I was a field agent," he stated, "we once had an agent in our department who, let's just say, wasn't known as the brightest crayon in the box! Anyway, after some time, the Agency suspected he was selling satellite technology to the Russians in his apartment. They wanted to be sure, so a hidden camera was installed in the ceiling of his apartment."

Francine asked, "And was there ever a transaction recorded?"

"No, but that was because, soon after, the guy had stumbled across the camera!"

Amanda was stunned, "Oh no! How did the Agency know he had discovered the camera?"

"Because I was in charge of watching him on the monitor. When he found the camera, instead of getting rid of it, he ignored it because he was so excited discovering that there was enough room in the vent to also hide the money the KGB had handed over to him!"

Amanda was aghast and laughing at the same time, along with Francine.

Lee, however, was intently peering through the binoculars when he suddenly became alert.

"Heads up, everyone!" he excitedly announced, "I see Rutherford's limo leaving the front gate!"

Rutherford's departure meant only the guards and a small staff would be left at the compound.

"Good," Francine got down to business as she checked her watch, "It's almost noontime. We should be hearing from Rutherford's guards soon."

Francine knew all that because after breaking into Rutherford's phone system, she had found out that he had a lunch meeting set up and the guard would be without him at this time.

She then put on some headphones. The Ex-Navy SEALS guy had taught her well on how to break into Rutherford's communication system. It wasn't too long before they heard a phone ringing inside the van. The call was coming from inside Rutherford's residence. Everyone in the van looked eager and nervous at the same time.

Amanda's plan was just about to come into play.

Francine put her index finger up to let everyone know to keep quiet as she pushed a button and turned two knobs to intercept the call:

Francine (cheerfully) "Good afternoon! _Feeling Saucy Pizza Place_! How may I help you?"

Guard: "Yeah, gimme the usual three large house special pizzas! And I want it delivered to Hunter Rutherford's place; you know the location already, don't you, Honey?"

Francine: "Got it, Sir! Your Monday afternoon special. Any other requests?"

Guard (teasingly): "Yeah,..you free after work, Sweet Lips?"

Francine (rolls eyes): I would be, but I planned to see my wrestler boyfriend's match tonight. But I can leave an extra ticket at the box office for you, if you want."

Guard (now disinterested): "Nah. Just the three pizzas."

Francine (smirking): "Fine. Any other requests?"

Another Guard grabbed the phone: "Hey! I've got a request for you, Sweetheart! Can you give me the number to The Pizza Palace?" (snickers)

Francine (quietly sighing): "I'm sorry. I don't speak the language of 'stupidity' fluently."

(Laughter could be heard in the background from the other guards listening in.)

Guard Two (sounding offended): "Hey lady, what the hel-"

Francine (talking hurriedly over the guy without pausing): "-we'll-be-there-in-half-an-hour-thank-you-for-choosing- _Feeling-Saucy-Pizza-Place!"_

She quickly disconnected the call.

"Good God. Those two guards were as sharp as marbles!" she griped.

Francine then immediately placed a call to _Feeling Saucy Pizza Place_ and put an order through for three large House Special Pizzas to be delivered to the nearby corner, away from prying eyes at the mansion. After twenty minutes, Lee went out to pick the boxes up.

While they waited, Billy stood and removed the long jacket he had been wearing. Underneath was the Feeling Saucy Pizza Place uniform: a red and white vertical striped shirt with blue polyester pants.

"Wow." Francine smirked, looking at him from head to toe, "when I pictured you in a uniform, Billy, this is _not_ what I had in mind!"

He looked miserable.

"I can barely breathe in this!" he disgustedly complained, "I must look like the American flag exploded on me!"

"In all the wrong places, too," added Francine.

Meanwhile, Amanda had come over to Billy and placed the pizza's uniformed red beret on his head. She stepped back to view the entire outfit, "You know, Sir, most bosses would refuse to do what might be considered a menial, undignified undercover assignment, but not you! You are all about completing a mission and not letting your ego get in the way! Very commendable!"

Billy burst out in a smile, "I AM the best person for this job, aren't I?"

Of course, no one mentioned that Billy HAD to do it, since the guards would have recognized the other three people in the van.

.

In no time there was a knock on their van, and Lee arrived, with the cartons of pizzas. Opening up the boxes, Amanda and Francine methodically began sprinkling the prepared pizzas with the pre-determined amount of powdered sleeping pills in each box. Then Billy left with the boxes.

It didn't take Billy long to return. After waiting another 15 minutes, Francine attempted calling the mansion. Six rings. No answer. In all likelihood the drug sprinkled on the pizza had done its job and the guards had been put to sleep.

"I guess that's my cue," Lee stated, as he unzipped his jacket to reveal a plumber's shirt. He also brought along some break-in tools hidden inside his toolbox, "I'll be back in a jiff."

Amanda stepped forward, "Lee?"

He turned towards her and his face softened. Amanda had managed to turn a normally boring chore into something rather pleasant. He had actually enjoyed his time inside the van.

"Yeah?"

" _Stay safe_ ," she quietly wished.

Her concern for his well being caused a strange warmth to course through his veins.

"Don't worry," he assuredly told her, "I'll be back before that last cookie is gone!"

Amanda gave him an encouraging smile. After he left, an anxious look etched her face.

Francine sent Billy a look and then went over to Amanda.

"Lee will be fine," she assured Amanda, "he knows how to get the job done; he's the best agent we have."

"Oh, I'm sure of that," Amanda stated, "but what I don't trust is the unpredictability of the bad guys."

"Just remember that we are closely monitoring him, too," Billy reminded Amanda, pointing to the beeping dot on the screen, "we can get him out of there if we sense any danger."

Amanda heaved a relieved sigh, "Glad to hear that, Sir."

"Good! And Mrs. King?"

"Yes, Mr. Melrose?"

"You don't, by chance, have any more cookies in that bag over there, do you?" he asked, pointing to the brown bag.

.

.

It didn't take long for Lee to return.

As he shut the door behind him, he announced, "The name of the bartender is Ian Lockley."

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief at his entrance. Lee looked over at her and when she gave him a welcoming smile, his heart skipped a beat.

 _He had never had anyone so concerned about his safety. It was a great feeling._

"Ian Locke...Great!" Francine stood, "I'll drive us over to the Agency and in no time, I'll be able to get his place of employment."

She then left to go to the driver's side of the van and soon the sound of the engine turning over could be heard.

With this part of the mission completed, everyone was in a good mood.

And they also appreciated that with Amanda's cookies and her idea of sharing stories, the job of surveilling almost seemed like a fun slumber party.

Lee sat down and looked at Billy, "I think I deserve a reward for my work, Billy. Could you pass the cookie bag over to me?"

"Here," Billy voluntarily handed the bag over, "Take all the cookies you want, but I'd advise you to leave the last one for your boss, if you know what's good for you, Scarecrow!" he threatened.

The van pulled out of its parking spot.

.

It was another 20 minutes before the four guards had groggily awakened from inside the mansion. Dazed turned to being frantic as they forced themselves to get up to hurriedly search the mansion and check on their equipment. Fortunately, nothing has been disturbed; there was no sign of anyone breaking in. Even the videos they watched showed nothing amiss. So they decided it was best not to mention any of what happened in the last hour to their boss.

All this happened while the van continued merrily on its way, its occupants pleased with the results of another successful assignment.

.

.

 _Please review_


	22. Chapter 22

Undercover Partner

Chapter 22

It was the usual hectic morning for Amanda.

There was the rushing the boys through breakfast and then getting them ready for school while at the same time, listening to her mother endlessly discussing why Amanda refused to see Dean.

The school traffic had been particular heavy this morning as she drove the boys to school, so Amanda had parked her station wagon a half a block away. After dropping the boys off at the school gate, she now waited at the corner of the school, waiting to cross the street to get back to her vehicle. Her minded had drifted to everything that happened the last few days.

 _Rrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_

The sound of the whistle from the crosswalk guard signalling pedestrians to cross snapped her out of her musings. She, along with two mothers who had also dropped off their kids, crossed the street.

About a quarter of the way through the crosswalk, Amanda noted the new crosswalk guard had come up to the side of her and soon was walking in tandem with her.

Unexpectedly, he spoke out, "A penny for your thoughts?"

Amanda felt goosebumps go down her spine when she recognized the voice. She whipped her head in the crosswalk guard's direction.

It was indeed Lee in disguise, wearing sunglasses and a official hat, along with a neon-green vest thrown over his clothes. He was holding up a handheld 'STOP' sign, allowing everyone to cross.

"Lee, wha -"

He silenced her with his index finger as they both continued to walk, " _No time for idle chit chat, Amanda!_ " Lee insistently whispered. He next pulled out a business card and handed it to her, " _Meet Francine here at today at 11 am."_

Amanda glanced down at the first line of the card:

REBEL TIME CLOTHES

" _What IS this? s_ he inquired.

 _"It's a clothing store_ ," Lee explained, _"You'll be going undercover. And this time, on purpose!"_

" _I'll be going undercover in a clothing store?"_ Amanda asked, incredulous.

Lee looked as though she had asked a ridiculous question.

" _Of course not, Amanda! You'll be going to that shop in order to retrieve your outfit for the next part of the operation!"_

 _"I'm still confused, and I don't mean to sound critical,Lee, but with a name like that, what kind of clothes do they sell?"_

 _"This store caters to the 'tough chick' type!"_

Amanda looked astonished, _"Have you ever seen me, Lee? I'm not exactly the tough chick type!"_

 _"That's why it's called going undercover!"_

She still didn't know what to make of all this.

 _"So what am I supposed to do with these new clothes once I get them?"_

He smiled to reassure her.

" _Francine will explain everything to you_ ," he gently stated, " _and don't worry, you won't have to spend a dime for the clothes."_

 _"No, that's not-"_

 _"Francine will explain,"_ he repeated himself.

By now they had reached the other side of the street and after waving the cars through, Lee lowered the' Stop sign'. One of the cars gave a friendly honk while another car rolled down its window and gave a 'thumbs-up' sign.

"Hey! I'm pretty good at this crosswalk thing!" Lee noted, as he waited at the corner with Amanda. They were now the only adults left at the corner, as the others had left, "and I never realized the power cross guards have! They can stop traffic with just a raise of a hand!" Lee envisioned, "and you know what, Amanda this crosswalk job isn't _half_ as dangerous as my real job! Sure, walking right into the middle of heavy traffic presents its own set of risks, but..."

"-Lee! Stop!" Amanda purposely interrupted his musings.

"Huh? What?"

She tilted her head, "Will you be doing things like this to me all the time?"

"You mean walking you across the street with a handheld 'stop' sign?"

"No, THIS!" she sounded exasperated, "This... _shocking_ me! Assuming various identities and then p _o_ pping up _anywhere! Anytime! Unannounced!_ "

Lee looked pleased,"Pretty cool, eh?"

 _At times Lee was like one of her boys who delighted in the frustration of others._

By now another group of parents had gathered on the corner across the street again, waiting to cross.

"Gotta go!" Lee enthused, "I need to save the public from all careening enemy vehicles!"

"Wait, Lee! Before you go, I need to know ask one more question about the undercover work!"

"Sure. What is it?"

Her tone sounded wistful, "Will _you_ also be working this undercover assignment with Francine and me?"

Amanda thought she saw regret flash in his eyes.

"You'll do fine with Francine," he gently stated, "however, just keep one thing in mind about her."

"What's that?"

"Francine's the type that's not happy about _anyone's_ existence, so don't take it personally."

"But-"

"Uh-uh... I've answered your one question."

Amanda looked askance at him,"You enjoy being cryptic with me, don't you?"

He grinned, "I can't help it if I'm easily entertained!"

Then it was back to business as he stuck the whistle in his mouth and blew it again.

 _Rrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_

The whistle shrieked in Amanda's ear as she watched Lee walk back to the middle of the crosswalk with his sign and signal the newly arrived parents to cross.

At one point, she managed to catch Lee's eye as the people strolled across the crosswalk.

And her pulse raced at the special smile and wink he sent her way.

Then he formed his hand into a phone receiver and placed it next to his ear.

"CALL ME!" he playfully suggested.

Amanda shook her head in amusement before she turned and left.

.

.

Francine was already waiting for her at one of the round racks of clothes inside the Rebel Time Clothes shop.

The clothes Amanda was to wear for the undercover work had earlier been selected for her. She needed to only try them on. The t-shirt and leather jacket was fine, but she wasn't used to wearing leather pants. Plus she STILL did not know what the plan was.

However, Amanda would wait until they were on the road before she questioned Francine about the assignment. They would have more privacy inside the car. Francine had been driving for 10 minutes before Amanda brought up the subject.

"So, Francine, why are we in these get ups and where we are going?" Amanda asked.

Francine made a right hand turn, "We're headed to the bar where Ian Lockley currently works. Big surprise, he works as a bartender there."

"Oh, you mean to get the coded numbers notepad back from him?"

"Exactly."

"But why am I accompanying you?" Amanda wondered, "I'm not even trained in any spy stuff! Wouldn't you feel safer if Lee or another experienced agent accompany you?"

"Of course I would _prefer_ that!" Francine brusquely responded, "But unfortunately, you're the only female who knows this case inside out. So I guess you'll have to do."

"Gosh, you make me feel so wanted," Amanda drolly stated.

Francine maneuvered her car over to the next lane, "Amanda, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a very blunt person. If it's flattery you need, go see a cheerleader."

"I'm not looking for compliments, Francine."

"Good, then we have an understanding," Francine remarked, "And if you must know, Amanda, you are on this undercover job because we are headed to a real dive bar, so it's best that two _females_ go. If I took Lee with me, it might antagonize Lockley."

"Oh, I see," Amanda acknowledged, "so I would be a less intimidating partner for you than Lee?"

"That's right," Francine stated, "although we are _not_ partners."

Amanda miserably mumbled, " _If I had a nickel for every time I heard that.._."

"What? Did you say something, Amanda?"

"Nothing. Go on, Francine."

"Anyway, as I was saying, the bar will be full of men and I figured you can play the _not-as-vibrant, supportive_ best friend to _me._ "

"Let me get this straight, Francine," Amanda tried to put a positive spin on it,"So I'll be a distraction, but not enough to where men would make a move on me?"

"No, you'll probably get hit-on as well," Francine admitted, as she stopped at the signal. "But then, these guys would hit on a _mop..._ if it had hips! "

"I see."

Francine continued, "So my advice to you, Amanda, is stay close by me. Oh, and be sure to toughen up."

Amanda looked puzzled, "Toughen up?"

"You _know._.. look like you've been around the block a few times!"

"Around the bloc-"

"Never mind!" Francine sounded aggravated, "Just don't act like... someone who gets a thrill out of dusting furniture!"

 _Francine wasn't getting her at all, but then Amanda recalled what Lee said about not taking it personally._

"Alright, Francine. I'll try not to get THAT excited!"

.

As they continued driving, Amanda shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

When Francine stopped the car at another red light, she peered over at a squiggly Amanda.

"Now what?" Francine asked in an aggravated tone.

"Nothing!" Amanda insisted, not wanting to complaining, "I didn't say a thing!"

" _You_ may not have said a thing, but your _body language_ is yelling at me!"

Amanda shifted again, "It's just...I'm not used to wearing leather pants, Francine...they're so tight and uncomfortable!" she tried to cross her legs, "...and did you hear that? My leather pants makes a squeaky noise whenever my legs move! How am I supposed to walk in these?"

Green light.

Francine heaved a tired sigh, "Good God, Amanda, I've worn leather pants like yours plenty of times! If you don't want to make noise, just walk like there's space between your legs!"

"Walk like there's space between my legs?" Amanda questionably repeated.

"Yes!" Francine acted as if it was obvious, "You know...swagger a bit!"

"You want me to _stagger_?"

"Not _stagger_... _swagger!_ But don't swagger TOO much, though, because a bad swagger could make you look like John Wayne stumbling into a saloon!"

"I'll try to remember that, Francine."

.

They had arrived at their destination. Francine had purposely parked on the street, across the way. They got out and peered at the building.

From the outside, Alabama Joe's was the classic redneck's bar, which meant it was an old, irrepaired, hole-in-the-wall dump. The exterior paint was mostly stripped off, the wooden door was half broken, and the sign was set crooked. American-built motorcycles and beat-up Chevys made up the majority of the vehicles parked there .

"So _this_ is where Ian Lockley works?" Amanda asked, observing the worn down structure, "Not to be so critical, but... this place is pretty crummy-looking."

Francine shrugged, "You haven't seen the worst of it!"

"Oh? It's even more rundown _inside_?"

"I was referring to the clientele," Francine explained, "I'd rather set myself on fire than deal with the type of patrons who frequent this kind of joint! But we have no choice, so come on, let's go and get this over with!"

They started walking towards the bar.

"What's wrong with you?" Francine asked, giving Amanda a measured look.

Amanda stopped walking, "What do you mean?"

"You're walking funny," Francine stated, noticing the awkward steps, "I already explained to you how to walk in leather pants!"

"Oh yes, I've got the swagger part down, I think, " Amanda stated, "but it's not the pants giving me trouble, and. I don't mean to be difficult, Francine, but I'm having a hard time walking in these heels..."

She pointed to her mile high stilettos.

"I can see that," Francine sardonically stated, "You're walking like you have the legs of a newborn calf!"

"That's because besides being so high, these heels are thinner than any shoe I've ever owned!" Amanda tried to defend herself, "Wearing these shoes should be an Olympic sport!"

"Fine. FINE! I'll tell you my secret for walking in stilettos, too! And then maybe afterwards, I'll write a book!" she then calmed herself down, "Amanda, you need to put your _heel_ down _first_ , followed by your toe. That will make your walk more natural. Or at least you'll be able to walk in a straight line."

"How do you put your heel-"

"Stop analyzing and just do it!" ordered Francine.

"Alright," Amanda stated.

She put forth the effort and after some practice, she seemed more steady on her feet.

"Better?"

Francine sighed, "I guess. But I swear, Amanda, your legs must be made of rubber! You just better pray that the barbarians in there are attracted to your hoop earrings!"

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?' reasoned Amanda, So, are you ready to go inside, Francine?"

"Not quite. I think my outfit needs a _little_ tweaking."

Amanda stared down at Francine's white buttoned-front blouse, short red leather skirt and thigh-high black boots.

"What more could you do with an outfit like that, Francine?"

"Are you kidding? I haven't even started yet!" Francine smugly stated.

Pulling the tail of her blouse out, Francine tied the ends together, making a knot under her rib cage, revealing a toned, flat stomach. Then she unbuttoned her top to a daring low, revealing a black bra. Bending over she shook her head and then stood back up, letting her now fluffed up hair fall sexily back in place. Then from her purse she took out her compact and used the tiny mirror inside to apply more make up and then more lipstick.

"How do I look?" Francine asked when she was done.

Amanda tried to be diplomatic, "Different. And uh, very colorful."

Coming from you, that's a compliment," Francine decided, putting the make up back in her purse "For this kind of place, my measuring stick is this: If astronauts could spot the make up from space, then it's been applied perfectly!"

Before Francine reached for the door, she gave Amanda one more piece of advice: Follow my lead, Amanda, and just remember this one thing: _Be the stiletto in a roomful of flats_."

"...a stiletto in a roomful of flats," Amanda repeated. She then took a deep breath in and out, "I'm ready. I think."

They entered the bar.

It didn't take long for their eyes to adjust to the dark room. Inside, wooden bars and tables seemed to fit in with the dark green walls, neon beer signs and pool tables. The clientele consisted of mostly rough-looking men wearing t-shirts or plaid shirts, faded or torn jeans and John Deere baseball caps.

A real man's bar.

Francine leaned into Amanda, " _Gawd. These guys look like they fell out of a tree and hit every branch coming down!"_

 _"Stiletto, I'm the stiletto,"_ Amanda mumbled her mantra.

As they made their way towards the counter, both ladies were instantly subjected to whistles, wolf calls, and pick up lines.

 _"Hey Babes, aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?"_

 _"What's a nice girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?"_

 _"Sugar cubes, I'm here! What are your other two wishes?"_

 _"Do you have a name or can I call you MINE?"_

Francine stared straight ahead, ignoring all the comments, so Amanda tried to follow suit...

...until one motorcycle dude reached out, seductively rubbing Amanda leather pants and then jokingly asked, "Are those space pants, Honey, cuz you're outta this world!"

Francine had doubled back to deal with the situation, but Amanda waved her away, letting her know that she could handle it.

 _Be the stiletto._

Amanda then aggressively swatted the man's hand away.

The cycle guy, however, didn't get the hint as he reached out and rudely grabbed Amanda by the waist to pull her closer to him. She could smell the beer on his breath.

"Aw, come on, Honey, let's not be strangers like that! In fact, you look _awfully_ familiar...have I met your sweetness somewhere else before, Sugar Pie?"

 _Stiletto. And he's the flats._

 _In other words, I must be strong and take no flak._

Amanda pushed him away, creating distance between them.

"We MAY have met before," Amanda bluntly stated, "and THAT'S why I don't go THERE anymore!"

Half the bar on their side erupted in laughter as the man embarrassingly released her.

Trying to walk as steady as she could with head held high, Amanda caught up with Francine at the bar. Francine gave Amanda a nod of approval.

Taking a seat next to Francine, Amanda noticed that Francine had strategically placed her purse on the counter so she did the same.

 _At last she was able to breathe freely again._

 _She had passed the Sleazebag Gauntlet with flying colors._

Immediately the bartender came over to where they sat to take their order.

And the familiar way he was looking at Francine told Amanda that this must be Ian Lockley, the bartender they were looking for.

.

.

 _Please review_


	23. Chapter 23

Francine is MVP

Chapter 23

Amanda and Francine were in Alabama Joe's, a dive bar, trying to get back the coded numbers notepad from supposed thief, bartender Ian Lockley.

Lockley was slightly soft with puffy features. He was wearing an old worn t-shirt and leather vest which he topped with a blue Virginia Cavaliers truckers cap. When he spotted Francine, he immediately made his way towards her.

Amanda whispered to Francine, _"Is that Ian Lockley coming over?_ "

 _"Yes, and he's none too bright,"_ Francine covertly responded back, "or _to put it in bartender terms, he's all foam and no beer."_

 _"You mean he's one beer short of a six-pack?"_ grinned Amanda.

" _Exactly!"_ Francine responded, "...look who the Irish cat dragged in!"

She then plastered on a fake smile as Lockley greeted her.

"Francine, me love! Ah'd knew ye'd find yerself back ter me!" he announced in an Irish accent, "Couldn't wait ter feast ye eyes again on 'ol Razor, could yer?"

"You're right, in a way," Francine responded back, "in a very, very _distant_ way!"

"Feisty one, yer are!" Ian held out both arms to display himself, **"** Look all yer want, Lassy, 'cause de glory is 'ere for all ter see!" he told her as the two men sitting at the bar snickered.

One of men shouted back at Ian, "Hey, Lockley, looks like you've got a live one here!"

" _Finally!" y_ elled out the other one as the men laughed and then they moved with their drinks to one of the opened tables at the bar.

Lockley then noticed Amanda and gave her a good once over, "Welllll now, whaat 'ave we 'ere?"

Francine looked bored, This is my fr-...uh, Amanda King."

Amanda gave him a weak smile, "Hello."

"Yer can call me Razor, Bonny Lass!" Ian greeted her and then exclaimed, " **'** Ey! I remember yer from that weekend party! At Rutherford's, wuz it? Aye, yer were there, alright!" his eyes brightened, "...and tat wus _some_ dress yer 'ad on, it wus!" he recalled as he leaned his elbow on the counter and whispered, "But me tink _**I**_ wud look better on **_yer_** than that dress ever wud!"

He gave an obvious wink and Amanda felt as though she needed a shower.

"Enough with the flirtation bit already, Razor," Francine pretended to yawn, "you've got something good to drink?"

"That I got fer yer, Frannie!" he enthused, "Waat ye two gran' specimens o' womanhud want ter draink?"

"I'll take a Manhattan," Francine ordered, "and use the good stuff, too. Make sure you use Carpano Antica for the vermouth." She gestured towards Amanda, "and my friend here will take an Old Fashioned with an orange twist."

Lockley chuckled, "Yer tink think is Buckingham Palace, Frannie, lass? When I asked yer waat yer wanted ter draink, I meant waat type o' _beer_?"

"Oh." Francine shrugged, "Give us the best you've got, then, and make sure you serve it in the cleanest glasses that you have. Keep the waterspots to a minimum, too."

Lockley didn't look offended in the least, "Comin' righ up!" he enthused.

It didn't take long for him to place the mugs of beers on the counter. At the same time, he was obviously trying hard to peer down at Francine's cleavage.

"So, Frannie," he suggestively stated, "Will yer be me earthquake an' rock me world soon? **"**

Francine ignored his oogling as she took a sip of her drink.

"Oh myyyy, Razor," Francine sarcastically stated after her sip, "You keep up with smooth lines like that and I may have to button UP my blouse to my chin!"

Lockley laughed heartily, "Haha, Frannie! I 'ad forgotten waat a spitfire yer are...an' I luv me a spitfire, I do! Let's say me and yer make plans ter git together later in the-day. Waat yer say about tat?"

"Unfortunately, my cat's the jealous type," Francine stated casually, "Besides, we didn't come here for a flirtationship, Razor. We came here to get some information from you."

"O yeah?" Lockley looked interested, "Yer askin' ME fer some information?"

"Go figure," Francine stated.

Lockley slung the wiping towel over his shoulder, "Waat yer want to know, Lassy?"

Francine bluntly stated, "We want you to give us the numbers notepad that you stole from Hunter Rutherford."

Lockley's face turned pale as his mouth dropped, "H-How did yer two kn-"

"We have our sources," Francine told him, "right, Amanda?"

Amanda nodded, "And if you hand it back to us now, Mr. Razor, we promise we won't tell Mr. Rutherford that you took it."

Lockley looked covertly to his left, then to his right.

Leaning in, he asked in a low tone, _"Are ye tellin' me that Mr. Rutherford knows I wus de one who stole it?"_

Amanda tried to sound tough but sincere _, "_ Not yet, but _we_ know it. And if we know it, Mr. Rutherford will know it, too."

He used the towel to wipe the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead, _"Luk, it's not like I stole it on purpose! On de day o' da party, I 'ad gone into de library cuz I knew aboyt the book on mixin' drinks. But whaen I opened de book Ah'd find a 'idden compartment wi' dis notepad in it! Believe me, I wasn't expectin' it!"_

"So let me guess the rest," Francine finished up his story, "you figured this notepad must be valuable. Maybe something you could hold for ransom to get a lot of money. So you took it."

"Ah, Lassy, Ah've got expenses, yer know."

Amanda interjected, "But the right thing to do now is to give it back to us. Quickly and quietly."

"Jist like tat, eh? Maybe Ah'm not a-wantin' to! Why, Ah'm a-bettin' that notepad is worth a nicker or two!"

Francine asked, "You don't want Rutherford's men to go after you, do you?"

"They never seen me take it, now, did they?" he asked, then looked at them suspiciously, "In fact, yer two never seen me take it either, did yer now?"

When neither Francine or Amanda responded, Lockley had his answer.

"Aye! I knew it! Yer 'av no proof!" 'his eyes filled with anger, "so guess waat, Lassys? Ah've changed me mind! I don't know nathin' aboyt anythin'! I never 'eard o' any notepad wi' numbers!" His confidence seemed to be growing and growing, "'N now Ah've 'ad just aboyt enoof o' yer badgerin' me! I want yer two ter be gone from 'ere!"

"Maybe not, Razor," Francine casually announced.

From seemingly out of nowhere, she produced a one hundred dollar bill in her hand, "It's not much I'm holding here, but if you give us back the notepad, you'll end up slightly ahead of the game and better yet, you won't have any broken limbs! Hospital bills can really add up!"

As Lockley debated what to do, they were interrupted by one of the men yelling from the table, "HEY! RAZOR! HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND FOR ME AND THE BOYS HERE?"

Lockley glanced over at the men and then back at Francine and Amanda.

"Stay...I'll be back, I will!" he grumbled, as he went to get the men some beer.

While he was gone, Amanda asked, "You think giving him that hundred dollars will work, Francine? I'm thinking he's convinced that he could make a lot of money by selling that coded notepad."

Francine shrugged, "It's our job to convince him otherwise."

"But maybe you shouldn't give him the whole hundred dollars all at once," Amanda suggested.

Francine looked blank, "What do you mean?"

"What I learned from my boys is that when it comes to negotiating, there usually is a bargainer and a bargainee. We are the bargainer and he is the bargainee, and we need to split the decision so that the bargainer and not the bargainee has the upper hand."

Francine didn't blink, "I have no idea what you've just said."

"Many people have said that to me," Amanda concurred.

By now, Lockley had returned back to them.

"Ah've been givin' yer proposal some thought," he decided, "a-an' maybe yer two ladies are righ. Some money is better than none, so Ah'll be takin' yer money after all! Then after, Ah'll be tellin' yer whair de notepad is at!"

He reached out to take the hundred dollars, but Amanda beat him to it and snatched it from Francine's hand.

"'Ey! Waat the 'ell?"

"Not. So. Fast. Buster." Amanda warned him.

She then took the bill and physically tore it in half. Next she slipped the bill across the counter towards Lockley.

He stared down at the half a hundred dollar bill, which was worthless now.

"W-Waat yer do tat for, Lassy?" he accusingly asked.

Amanda offered, "We'll give you the other half when you tell us the location of the notepad _first._ "

The confident way she was looking at him showed him there would be no wiggle room for bargaining.

Francine looked impressed as she turned to give Lockley a smug, victorious look.

Lockley at first looked alarmed. Then anger over took him at the thought that these two broads felt they got the best of him.

When he looked back over at Francine and Amanda, he narrowed his eyes.

"Yer two tink yer so smart, don't yer?" he warned them and then complained, "Comin' in 'ere an' battin' yer eyes, lookin' all sexy an' dangerous..."

Amanda gulped, "You think we're sexy and dangerous? _Both_ of us?"

"Never yer mind!" he impatiently stated before threateningly adding, "Let me warn yer two, I cud yell out 'Come an' git 'em!' to me friends over there an' they'd 'av yer over an empty table so fast, it'll make yer heads spin, it wud!" he looked sleazily at them, "an' other parts o' yer wud be spinnin', too!"

Amanda was shaking inside. She had never heard such a vile, sleazy threat, but when she turned to look at Francine, she noted that Francine was as cool as a cucumber.

Francine then casually opened her purse and remove out her compact. Then she began putting on some makeup, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

"So is that your way of saying you DON'T want the money?" Francine casually asked Lockley, checking herself in the mirror of the compact.

Lockley's expression turned dark, "Ah've had enoof of this!"

He then put two fingers in his mouth, whistled and then yelled out, "LADDIES! I CUD BE USIN' SOME BACKUP UP 'ERE, I CUD!"

As if on cue, three husky men got up and crowded menacingly around Francine and Amanda.

Amanda looked nervously back at Francine. Francine calmly shut her compact with a click and put it inside her purse...

...and when she brought her hand out of her purse, she was holding a Glock in her hand.

"I was debating if I should bring this little equalizer with me," she commented, "but then I figured, 'what would it hurt...except maybe three no-good drunks at this bar?'!"

She pointed the gun at one guy, then the next one, then the last one. The three goons looked at one another and then slowly began backing away.

Lockley was not happy with the turn of events.

"Oh, look at yer Frannie, all big and bad!" Lockley angrily challenged, "Do yer even know how to use tat wee bit o' a pistol?"

When Francine twirled around with the gun in her hand to point it at Lockley, everyone at the bar hit the floor except Amanda and Lockley. The barrel of the gun was now aimed directly at Ian's head.

"You want to _try_ me?" She warned.

Lockley put his arms up high in the air, "Wait there now, Lassy! Yer don't want to be doin' tat!"

"Why not?" she smirked, "And by the way, Razor, putting your arms up like that would never, EVER stop a bullet!"

Then with a steady hand, she aimed and fired.

BANG!

Some of the men were yelling and covering their heads when the shot rang out.

When he heard the shot, Lockley shut his eyes. He didn't feel any pain, but he instantly felt air rushing to the top of his head.

With no more shots heard being fired, he opened one eye to see that Francine had placed her gun on the table and was nonchalantly sipping her beer again. Opening the other eye, he breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't spot blood anywhere.

But his hat was missing. It laid on the ground next to him.

Once he realized that the shot didn't penetrate any part of his body, he shakily reached down and retrieved his hat. Examining his hat, he noted that Francine had been able to fire in between his raised arms and hit the front of his cap dead center, right between the large "V", for Virginia Cavaliers.

"Lookee 'here now, Laddies!" he stated as he showed everyone the precise hole the shot had created.

The room was awed into silence.

Francine looked pleased as she put her glass down.

"Now, Razor," Francine confidently stated, "you're going to tell us exactly what we want to know, or the _next_ dead-centered aim won't be your hat but where your two ugly legs connect!"

Every man at the bar grimaced at that imagery.

Lockley shakily and humbly asked, "D-Do I at least git de other 'alf 'o me money?"

Meanwhile Amanda had turned to Francine with a look of admiration.

"I guess we didn't waste our time putting all that make up and tough chicks clothes on us, after all, Francine."

Francine laughed, "No we didn't, Amanda."

.

.

As they left to go to their car, Amanda was elated.

They were now in possession of the coded notepad and all Lockley got for his troubles was one crummy hundred dollar bill that he would need to tape together.

"Francine! You were great in there!" Amanda exclaimed as they walked to the car.

"Yeah, well, I hate to admit it, Amanda, but you were a pretty good tough chick yourself!"

Francine was actually impressed how Amanda held her ground and didn't blink, even when three goons were about to take hold of them.

"I do have one question, though," Amanda stated.

"What's that?"

"I thought you said you would use your feminine wiles with Mr. Lockley to convince him to give you the notepad."

Francine straight-faced, "I was going to, but then I remembered that although feminine wiles work well enough, feminine _weapons_ work miracles!"

Amanda smirked, "Well, either way, you certainly are persuasive!"

They had reached Francine's car. Getting in, they had just buckled their seatbelts when they heard a click of a gun from behind them. Francine felt the barrel right next to her head.

"Don't move or I'll blow your frigging head off!" a male voice warned.

Francine sighed, "Now what? _Another_ one?"

"Shut up, you!" The guy pushed the gun further into the back of Francine's skull.

Amanda recognized the gunman's voice. It was Rutherford's right hand man, Lester Hiltson.

"Don't mess up my hair!" Francine complained, and then asked, "What do you want, anyway?"

"Mr. Rutherford's missing notepad, of course," he growled, "I had no idea what happened to it, so I've been tailing you two. Thank you for figuring out who stole it."

"That's because _we_ have brains and can think... _unl_ ike..," Francine began, purposely letting her voice drift off.

"-Shut up!" Hiltson interrupted, obviously in a bad mood.

Francine then slowly began to move until she heard the gun cocked.

"No fast moves!" he ordered.

"Look, " Francine explained, holding out her purse, "I was just going to reach in my purse in order to give you the coded notepad!"

"Just hand your purse over to me!" Hiltson insisted, "And slowly, too! You wouldn't want my trigger finger to get nervous!"

With a sigh, Francine handed her purse over to the backseat. They heard Hiltson rummaging through her purse.

"Did you find what you needed or should I just tell you?" Francine asked, "My lipstick container is located in the side pocket."

"You talk as much as my ex-wife!" Hiltson complained, still rummaging when suddenly, he sounded pleased, "Ha! I've got it!" he jubilantly announced, holding up the notepad in his hand.

Francine sighed, "Thank god, because this staring straight ahead was getting boring. Can we go now?"

He still had the gun pointed at them.

"Not so fast, Big Mouth," he growled.

"You have what you want, so let us go," Francine plainly stated.

"You deaf? I _said_ not so fast!"

At last Amanda spoke out, "Mr. Hiltson, what do you plan to do with us?"

He ominously responded, "I'm taking one of you with me!"

.

.

 _Please review_


	24. Chapter 24

Lee Finds Out

Chapter 24

From his desk at the Agency, Lee was anxiously waiting for Francine and Amanda to return from their mission at Alabama Joe's Bar.

Although a file was opened in front of him, the words just seemed like gibberish to him; his mind was somewhere else. He was thinking about Amanda and Francine's mission and hoped they were successful in getting the coded notepad from the bartender, Ian Lockley.

 _He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Amanda._

Lee's head turned at the sound of familiar high heels clacking on the floor, telling him that Francine had returned to the bullpen.

Indeed it was Francine, but he noticed immediately that Amanda hadn't accompanied her.

Strangely, Francine didn't head his way, but instead made a beeline straight to Billy's office. Jumping out of his seat, Lee headed that way as well and ended up arriving at the door slightly ahead of her.

She looked surprised and then irritated to find Lee blocking the entrance to Billy's office.

"Lee! Do you _mind?"_

"Not at all, Francine! Do you mind telling telling me how the mission went _first?"_

Francine grudgingly answered, "It went... like many missions went, al _right_?" She then ordered, "Now, _move_."

Lee didn't budge, "What about Amanda?"

Her tone went unnaturally higher, "Amanda, did you say?" She then improvised, "Ohhhh, welll...she did great! Really, really great! Superb, in fact!"

 _Now he knew something was definitely wrong._

"You're _never_ so complimentary, Francine! There's something you're keeping from me!"

Francine put her hand on her hips to show her frustration, "I _don't_ have time to make idle chit chat now! I've got more important things to do! And you should go back to flirting with the girls at the steno pool! "

"Idle chit chat?" now he looked irritated, "Since when was asking about the welfare of a civilian executing a mission considered idle chit chat? What am I missing here?"

"Nothing that can't wait!" Francine insisted, "And the longer you block me, the longer you won't know what's going on! So out of my way!"

Lee certainly didn't want to stand there having an antagonized staring contest with Francine, so with a reluctant shrug, he relented and stepped aside.

"That's better!" Francine asserted as she stepped up and knocked on Billy's door. When she heard a response to enter, she opened the door.

As she went in, she held onto the door as she turned to warn Lee.

"AND YOU! STAY OUT!"

"I-"

 _SLAM!_

She almost slammed the door on his nose.

 _Dammit! L_ ee exasperatingly huffed, as he stared at the closed door.

 _Something happened with the mission and it involved Amanda; he was sure of it now!_

He tried the doorknob of Billy's office.

Of course it was locked.

Lee then attempted to go around to peer through the windows into the office, but Francine had hurriedly began closing all the blinds.

So he impatiently went back to pound on Billy's door.

 _BAM!BAM!_

Francine furiously opened the door, surprising Lee. It happened so fast.

He was tongue-tied, "I-"

"LEE! YOU CANNOT COME IN! JUST...JUST MAKE LIKE A TREE AND STAY PUT!" she ordered, before slamming the door in his face again.

 _Grrrrrrr!_ He stared once more at the closed door.

 _Make like a tree! Ha!_

Lee internally made a solemn promise to himself that he would never allow Amanda to do any type of spy work again.

 _Looking about, he felt helpless on what to do next._

 _He guessed he WOULD have to make out like a tree if he wanted to find out what happened._

He stood there, waiting.

It seemed to take forever, but at last Francine opened the door to Billy's office.

She calmly stated, "You may come in now, Lee."

Lee ignored her and with hurried strides, he brusquely walked past her and entered.

Once inside the room and with the door shut again, he demanded, "I want to know what happened to Amanda!"

"Sit down, Lee," Billy firmly stated, from behind his desk.

"No, someone needs to tell me-"

"Sit DOWN!" Billy repeated his orders in an angrier tone.

 _This did not sound good,_ Lee thought as he sank into the nearest seat and braced himself.

Billy cleared his throat; obviously, he was struggling with what to say to Lee. He folded his hands in front of him.

"I suppose you've heard that Francine and Amanda were initially successful in obtaining coded notepad from Lockley..."

"Yeah, I heard..." and then dread filled Lee, "WAIT!...You stated _'initially.'._."

He looked anxiously at Billy and then at Francine.

Billy sighed, "Unfortunately, after she and Amanda left the bar with the notepad in their possession, they were confronted by Rutherford's right hand man, Lex Hiltson, who demanded they hand the stolen coded notepad over to -"

"-I don't CARE about the damn notebook, Billy!" Lee snapped, "Is Amanda alright?!"

Billy took a deep breath in, but it was Francine who responded.

"Hiltson took her away, Lee," Francine bluntly explained, "along with the coded notepad."

Lee sprang out of his chair.

"WHAT?!"

Francine also stood, but her tone was now defensive, "Now, Lee, settle down! I had insisted that Hiltson take me instead, but he told me I would be too difficult and would probably attempt to escape so that's why he took Amanda. Can you imagine? Me, difficult? Why, I haven't-"

"FRANCINE!" yelled Lee accusingly, "You let Hiltson kidnap Amanda! How _could_ you!"

"No...no, Lee, I didn't just _let_ him..." Francine's eyes were pleading, "He threatened to shoot her if she didn't go with him! He had a gun trained on both of us!"

Lee's face darkened, "You could have tried harder! You could have-"

Billy piped in, "Lee, do NOT put the blame on Francine! That's not helping Amanda and we're wasting time!"

"Don't you get it?" Lee angrily asked, "Amanda's a mother with two young boys! She not trained to deal with these type of situations! And how will we explain her absence from her own home to her family?"

"Don't worry, I've taken care of that already," ever-efficient Francine explained, "I had earlier called Amanda's house and identified myself as the head librarian for the Library of Congress in DC and encountered an emergency in which we are in vital need of her skills."

Lee looked incredulous, "A-And her mother bought a story like _that?_ "

"Why not?" Francine assuredly smiled, "You know how convincing I can be! I can talk leaves out of their branches!"

"But you couldn't convince Hiltson to take _you_ instead!" Lee complained, "We shouldn't have never involved Amanda in this mess!"

Francine countered with, "Don't you mean YOU shouldn't have involved her?"

"Let's not get nit-picky here!" Lee barked back, "Let's just...go after Hiltson and get Amanda back!"

Francine lifted a brow, "And where do you propose we find him? At the _Bad-Guys_ Hotel? Records show he doesn't have a permanent residence!"

"No, but Rutherford his boss would know of his location!" Lee reasoned as he took another jab at her, "Dammit, Francine, I just can't believe you let Hiltson take her!"

Francine miserably looked down on the ground, speechless for once.

"What's done is done, Scarecrow! Get a hold of yourself!" Billy demanded, "Sit _down_ so we can talk about this like reasonable, professional agents!"

Lee remained standing as he looked from Billy to Francine.

"Talk is cheap and action is everything, Billy!" Lee stated, as he headed out the door, "And if you don't plan on helping, I'm going to go get Amanda on my own!"

"Good, you go do that!" Billy yelled back, "and in a couple of hours, I'll have to utilize _more_ of my agents to rescue TWO people, one of them a reckless fool! You do realize, Lee, that we have some of the best agents available to help, don't you?"

Billy then head-gestured in the direction of Francine, who looked very sullen at the moment after being berated by Lee..

Lee pursed his lips, his entire body rigid. He realized that being a lone wolf might be a mistake, and he couldn't afford to make one when it concerned Amanda.

Reluctantly returning and standing next to the chair he previously occupied, he furiously lifted it and then slammed his chair back onto the ground with great effort in order to lessen some of his frustrations.

"You reasonable yet?" Billy asked, "or do you plan on punishing the chair even further?"

"Yeah, I mean...no, I'm okay..." He let out a deep, bracing breath, "and you're right. I could use some help in rescuing Amanda," he admitted. He peered over at Francine, "and Francine...I could use your help. You're the best we have."

Francine stood taller, "I'm here for you Lee. And as we drive to Rutherford's place, I'll tell you how Amanda conducted herself like a real agent at the bar scene."

Lee beamed with pride at Francine's compliment regarding Amanda, "She's really something else, isn't she?"

Francine smirked, "Yeah. Something else."

Billy then interjected, "So why are my two best agents standing around _here_?"

Lee looked at Francine with steel determination, "Let's go!"

"Good luck, you two," Billy said, "Bring her back to us."

Lee acknowledged, "You know we will, Billy."

.

,

Lee's driving was erratic at he rushed towards Hunter Rutherford's mansion.

Francine was usually not one to scare easily, but as she sat at the passenger side, she could easily see that 'safety' was not on Lee's list of driving goals.

"Will you slow down, Lee?" she ordered him, "As I look out the window, the buildings are beginning to look like one long blur!"

"Hey, you're still alive, aren't you?" Lee growled, "be thankful for that, but I can't say the same for Rutherford, once I get my hands on him!"

"Okay, I'm going to try to explain this one more time. You need to stay CALM if you expect to get Amanda back!"

"I've already tried _calm_ , Francine, and I found that that particular sensation didn't suit me!"

He then barreled his car through a yellow light.

"Lee!" Francine yelled, as she braced herself by holding on to her car seat, "Don't you DARE get me in a car accident!"

"This isn't about you, Francine and you know it!"

"Oh, you bet I know it!" she stated as he made a hard right hand turn, "Ever since this mission's started, all you've ever been concern about is Aman-" she paused as she considered, "Well, _I'll be_...I don't believe it!"

He scowled as the speedometer needle flickered even more right, "Don't believe _what_?"

"You actually have personal __feelings__ for the Happy Homemaker!"

"What? _Feelings?_ " Lee scrunched up his face, "You're talking crazy, Francine! I don't have personal feelings for her or any other woman! You KNOW that about me! I'm just concern for her is all—after all, as you so accusingly pointed out, _I'm_ the one who got her involved in all this!"

"Then if you want to help her, you have to make sure you get us there in one piece—so CALM down and decelerate! You need to focus your energy on getting Amanda back safe and sound!"

Her reasoning finally reached Lee as his foot eased up on the accelerator.

"You're right, I suppose," he capitulated.

"Aren't I always?"

They drove in silence.

Then Lee finally spoke out again, "You know, Francine, I've been thinking about what you've said regarding personal feelings for Amanda. You could be right about that."

Francine looked questionably at him, "I am?" then she reconsidered, "Of course I am!"

 _ _Did the world just spin off its axis?__ Francine wondered, __This was the juiciest news she's heard all week! Wait until she tells the girls in the steno pool!__

Francine asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"If you promise not to talk about it with the steno pool gals."

 _It was like he could read her mind._

"Alright. I won't," she promised, and she meant it, "Go ahead."

Lee seemed to be in deep thought, "Now, this is me just thinking out loud, but...oh wait a minute...You just finished telling me to focus all my energy on rescuing Amanda! _Darn it! Tooo baaad!_ "

Francine narrowed her eyes as she accusingly stated, "You just LOVE frustrating me on purpose!"

"What's your point?" Lee teased, as he made a turn.

They were almost at Rutherford's place.

"You know what, Lee?" Francine looked askance at him, "Sometimes I despise you, and other times, I abolutely despise you!"

"Fine by me!" Lee grinned before he became serious again, "...but for now, just make sure that you despise Rutherford and Hiltson even more than me!"

 _"It'll be a toss-up."_

.

.

 _Please review_


	25. Chapter 25

Staying Tough

.

Chapter 25

It was up to Lee and Francine to get Amanda back.

"Remember, Lee, do NOT cause any extra trouble," Francine warned him as he drove up to Rutherford's residence.

"We'll see," he opaquely noted.

"You losing your temper will NOT get Amanda out of there safely!" she reminded him.

Lee sighed, "Stop making sense!"

 _Of course Lee knew Francine was right;_ _he needed to stay calm and reasonable for Amanda's sake._

Inching the car forward, the gates somehow magically opened on their own, allowing them to drive up to the circular driveway. Lee had forgotten how really massive Hunter Rutherford's mansion was. The exterior of the three- storied residence was made of gray limestone with alternating bands of rough and smooth finished stone. It was enlivened by porticos, piazzas and bay windows. There were also window panels framing the grand façade.

When Lee and Francine got out of Lee's vehicle, they were met at the front door by two guards, who in reality, looked more like hired thugs in suits.

One guard was massively built while the other was sinewy but tall.

As a spy, Lee knew it was always wise to size up the opponents. Size and strength are not necessarily exclusive.

He first internally evaluated the big guy. _Biggie was probably a wrestler in high school. With that blank look on his face, no way he went to college; in fact, he probably got a GED in high school. He wouldn't be able to think himself out of a paper bag._

 _Next he glanced over at the tall, skinny guy, who stood there, chomping on a piece of gum. Lee's initial reaction had been that with the guy's slight built, there was nothing to worry about. This guy made a regular nerd look totally buff. But upon closer inspection, Lee did not like what he saw in the guy's eyes. They were beady and cruel-looking._

 _Skinny would be the one to look out for._

"Hello, boys," Francine flashed a friendly smile, "We're here to see Hunter Rutherford."

Biggie aggressively asked, "You got appointment, Lady?"

Francine answered, "No, but he'd want to make himself available for _us_ , believe me."

Skinny asked, "What's the nature of your business with Mr. Rutherford?"

Lee answered, "He's got a meeting with destiny."

"You don't say!?" snickered Skinny, in jest, "Well, it just so happened, Bossman already HAD his quota of _destiny_ today, so will there be anything else?"

Lee didn't skip a beat, "For being such a wise guy, I'd give you a nasty look ...but I see you already have one..."

"Why _you_...!" Skinny growled, as he moved forward in an aggressive manner until Biggie physically stopped him by grabbing his arm.

 _Kkhhh...Kkhhh..._

Right at that moment, Skinny's walkie-talkie suddenly came alive with static noise. After Biggie released his grip, Skinny grabbed his walkie-talkie. He then lowered his head and brought the walkie talkie up to his right ear and quietly listened. When the call was completed, he lifted his head once again.

"You Silverstone, right?" Skinny rhetorically asked, "Bossman had done a background check on you. There's no such person with your name working for an insurance company, and the broad here," he gestured at Francine, "... who you claimed was an international jewel thief is not one of those, either."

"I am NOT a broad!" complained Francine, offended.

"I was referring to your shoulders," he ridiculed and pointed, as Francine re-adjusted her shoulder pads.

 _Lee, however, was wondering how Rutherford knew they were here._

He looked all around for any hidden cameras, but he wasn't seeing one.

 _Their security was impressive._

Skinny smacked his gum and then asked, "So, you two... out with your real name and identity. And _this_ time, we better hear the truth!"

 _Lee knew he needed to get inside if he had any chance of saving Amanda._

"Alright, the truth." Lee reluctantly agreed, "Name's Stetson and this is Miss Desmond. We're both government agents and we have an important matter to discuss with your boss."

Francine added, "Your boss already knows why we're here."

Skinny had a look of disbelief, "Oh yeah? He knows without even seeing you? You think Bossman is the great Carnac or something?"

"No, he's too unfunny to be a fictional comic mind reader," Francine dryly commented.

" _Look.._." Lee sounded unyielding, "we can see Rutherford the easy way or we can see him _our_ way, but we _will_ see him, and it will be NOW!"

"Oh _yeah?_ Well guess what?" Skinny challenged as he snapped his gum even louder, "WE decide who sees Mr. Rutherford, _capeesh_?"

Biggie then stepped forward and folded his arms as if to block the way, "No appointment, no Mr Rutherford."

"Oh myyyy...the big one has _such_ a poetic way with words!" Francine smirked.

"Outta our way!" Lee ordered.

Biggie didn't budge as he pulled out a weapon, "You two leave NOW or we will make you leave!"

"You heard him and his gun!" backed-up Skinny.

Surprisingly Lee simply shrugged, "Alright." He turned to Francine,"I guess we can't see Rutherford today. That's too bad. Come on, Francine, let's go."

Francine dropped her mouth and stared at him like he was crazy, "Just like that?"

"Just like that. Let's get out of here," Lee reiterated, slightly turning.

He started to leave, but then before anyone else could react, Lee swiftly turned back and with his knee, he landed it squarely into the big guy's groin area.

Caught totally unaware, Biggie made a sucking sound like he had just pushed his head out of the water after drowning. His gun fell to the ground. Just being kneed once was enough for Biggie's body to melt and form a puddle on the ground while he let out painful groaning sounds at the same time.

Skinny watched unemotionally at his fallen comrade, who was still writhing with pain on the ground.

Meanwhile, Francine had turned unhappily to Lee and whispered, _"Didn't I tell you not to cause any extra trouble?"_

" _It's not_ _extra_ _trouble_ ," Lee claimed, " _it's_ _necessity_ _trouble!_ "

Lee then reached into his jacket, pulled out his gun and aimed it at Skinny.

"I guess we'll have to do it MY way then..."

Skinny barely acknowledged the gun.

"Unnecessary," was all he said.

"Unnecessary?" Lee repeated, " You mean, this gun I'm pointing directly at you is unnecessary?"

"No, the groin hit to my friend was unnecessary," Skinny stated, "that little maneuver didn't scare me in the least!"

"I didn't kick your buddy to scare you," Lee claimed, "I did it so that I could feel better. And I do. But this gun here is a totally different matter."

"You're not as funny or impressive as you think you are," Skinny countered, "in fact, I could snap my fingers and half a dozen guys with full artillery would surround you two in five seconds flat!"

"But what would it matter if you were shot two seconds before that?" Francine confidently questioned.

Lee then aimed the gun towards the middle of Skinny's body, "A whole _army o_ f thugs won't be able to save the big hole in your shot-out groin area. I hope you don't consider walking a necessity."

Skinny's smile had disappeared as Lee cocked his gun.

Then he looked down at Biggie laid out on the ground, still moaning in pain.

"Uh..." Skinny slowly reached down to retrieve his walkie talkie as Lee and Francine exchanged pleased expressions.

He then mumbled something privately into the speaker and listened quietly to the response. After lowering the walkie talkie, Skinny's attitude suddenly changed.

"Agents!" enthused Skinny, in a clear change of attitude, "Mr. Rutherford will see you now!"

.

.

After taking Lee's gun away, they were left in the care of the butler who answered the door.

"Miss Desmond, Mr. Stetson, please follow me."

This manservant had the right manners, said the right things, but he looked as if he could just as easily tie up bodies alongside cement blocks and toss them into the Potomac River.

They headed down a familiar long corridor, walking in silence. The butler then made a right. This led to another hallway, almost towards the end of the house. At last the three of them stopped by an opened door. Whatever room this was, it had glass walls which overlooked the view to his gardens.

The manservert led them in.

Lee and Francine could smell the chlorine as well as hear the tiny splashes of water as they entered the private swim room. Though the pool area was elaborate, it still had that indoor pool mustiness. And just like his outdoor pool, everything having to do with the pool was done in marble.

"Wouldn't you know it?" Francine snarked, "...the _one_ day I _didn't_ bring my swimsuit!"

But Lee was finding it harder and harder to control his impatience as he sickeningly watched Rutherford swimming around in the indoor pool, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Lee turned towards the manservant, "Hey, Pal, you think you can get your boss out of there, and pronto, like? We really need to talk to him!"

The manservant showed no change of expression.

"Mr. Rutherford's daily habit is to swim 10 laps, not one more, not one less," he evenly stated, as if that explained why they couldn't interrupt his boss.

"Maybe this is the day he finally changes that habit!" Lee suggested.

The manservant stood firm as he watched his boss make a turn in the pool, "Fortunately for you, Mr. Rutherford is on his last lap. Kindly stand by."

"What else can we do?" Francine sardonically asked.

Lee and Francine had no choice but to watch Rutherford slice through the water for his last lap. He swam with easy, fluid movements; obviously, he was in excellent shape for someone in his late 40's. He reached the edge of the pool near where Lee, Francine and the manservant stood and stopped.

Now standing in the pool, Rutherford ran his hand across his wet scalp and dripping face.

"Miss Desmond, Mr. Stetson," he formally addressed them, not looking happy at their arrival, "Next time I'd advise you to call before arriving at my residence. My policy is to take appointments only."

"This isn't a social call," Lee told him.

"I figured as much, but was it really necessary for you to mess with my men out in the front?" Rutherford asked.

"They needed to be taught how to properly welcome people," Lee explained.

Hunter ignored Lee's comment. Instead, he walked himself fluidly out of the pool. Grabbing a towel from his manservant, he motioned for everyone to sit in the chaise lounges he had surrounding the pool.

As they sat, Hunter grabbed his robe and tied it at the waist before he sat down.

"Whatever the reason for your visit, I hope this won't take much of my time," Hunter made clear, "I'm a very busy man. In fact, I have a political function I need to attend to in two hours."

"I'll get to the point then," Lee stated, as he leaned in and with a threatening voice stated, "I'm about to break both your legs!"

Hunter lifted a brow, "Really? _This_ is how you repay my hospitality?"

Just then the manservant entered with a tray of three glasses.

The manservant ignored the obvious tension in the room, "Iced tea for you and your guests, Mr. Rutherford," he stated, as if it weren't obvious.

Francine leaned in and whispered to Lee, " _I just want to slug the politeness off of that butler's face!"_

 _"Don't worry,"_ Lee pledged, _"he'll be the next in line for a slug!"_

Meanwhile, Hunter nonchalantly grabbed his drink, "Thank you, Manny. Please serve our guests."

Manny the butler swung the tray over to Lee and Francine.

"You must try my green iced tea," Rutherford cajoled them with the drinks.

Lee recalled earlier about the mango shake and humphed, "What is it with you and drinks, Rutherford?"

Hunter smiled, "I'm a businessman, Mr. Stetson, and I never negotiate until everyone feels relaxed, and drinks are conduit in reaching that state."

"I'm not here for relaxation!" Lee growled.

Hunter's smile disappeared, "Then we cannot negotiate." He then turned to Francine, "Perhaps you are more amendable, Miss Desmond. Please, try the green iced tea. It's consists of vibrant notes of green apple and mango. And on top of that, it's very healthy, too, as I'm told it contains a healthy variety of antioxidants. The drink is _quite_ divine!"

Francine took her glass, "I often take mine _extra_ -divine, but I suppose this will do. Thank you."

Hunter then turned to Lee and gestured at the last glass of iced tea, "Please, Mr. Stetson. Show me that you can be a gentleman, and then perhaps you will get what you came for."

Lee then stated, "Only if I can take YOUR drink, Rutherford."

Rutherford raised a brow, "You think, perchance, that I had drugged the drinks?"

Francine then quickly and awkwardly placed her drink down as Lee calmly stated, "I've learned that wrong things can happen when you trust the wrong people, and you are definitely the wrong kind of people."

"Blunt, but there may be some truth somewhere in there," Rutherford admitted as he gave a wry smile, "So you want my drink, Stetson? By all means, have it..." he stated as the manservant helped to exchange the drinks.

After Manny left, Lee immediately put his drink down without taking a sip.

"You're wasting our time with all this fake hospitality since you know why we're here, Rutherford!" Lee stated as he and Francine stood up to look more intimidating.

Hunter put his drink down too. His eyes had lost its openness as he pursed his lips.

"You are being exceptionally rude, Mr. Stetson! Not only is it rude, but it also won't help you with whatever you want from me! If you and Miss Desmond will look down onto your bodies, you will understand how much control I have over your tenuous situation!"

Lee and Francine exchanged uncertain glances. And when they looked down, they could see several laser beams pointed directly at their chests.

.

 _Please review_


	26. Chapter 26

Who's the Boss?

Chapter 26

So Lee and Francine were at Hunter Rutherford's house, determined to get Amanda back. But so far, their plan hadn't gone as expected. Despite getting past the bodyguards and with Rutherford poolside, they now had laser beams pointed at their chests. It was obvious that Rutherford's armed men had secretly been watching them, trained to shoot them if necessary.

From where he sat, Hunter calmly stated as he took another sip of his drink, "I'd advise you two to sit down like civilized people; things will go much more smoothly for you."

Gritting his teeth, Lee and Francine sank back into their seats.

The laser beams instantly disappeared.

"See when happens when you cooperate?" Rutherford smugly asked, "and now that the air has been cleared as to who has the upper hand, explain to me why you two are here."

Lee's sounded insistently angry, "We know you have Amanda, Rutherford! You should know that kidnapping is a class four felony, and I'll make sure you spend the maximum time in prison!"

For a split second, Lee could've sworn he saw a look of surprise flash over Rutherford's face.

But then it was gone in an instant and Lee figured that perhaps he had imagined it. Trying to keep himself from choking Rutherford, Lee reached out and grabbed his drink instead.

A tray of appetizers had been previously set up at the table and Hunter reached over for a stuffed mushroom and popped in his mouth before he proceeded.

"I assure you I don't know what you are talking about regarding Amanda," Hunter calmly claimed.

Lee slammed his drink back down so hard that part of his drink sloshed over the table.

"THE HELL YOU DON'T!'

His yelling caused the re-appearance of Manny, the manservant, who efficently proceeded to wipe the table before disappearing once again.

 _The anger and iced tea spillage from Lee, however, had been purposely done. With Rutherford and his manservant being distracted, Francine had been able to covertly plant a listening device underneath the table._

" _Tsk, tsk, Mr. Stetson,_ " Hunter lectured, unaware of the planted bug, "You MUST learn to control your temper!"

As expected, Lee indignantly jumped out of his seat, but Francine held him back.

"Lee!" Francine warned, "Sit down! Otherwise you'll have Rutherford's men on us again!"

The reminder of the laser beams caused Lee to sit back down, his face a mask of frustration. As he took his seat, however, he was able to catch Francine's eye and she nodded, letting him know the device was securely in place.

Meanwhile the millionaire's eyes were filled with venom as he leaned forward to address Lee.

"You think you have it all figured out, don't you, Stetson? First you have the nerve to accuse me of kidnapping Lucy, a mere librarian's aide...and now you burst into MY residence, _uninvite_ d, and accuse me of kidnapping Mrs. King, a dull housewife! If you think you can threaten my stellar reputation, you are sadly mistaken!"

Francine jumped in, "Mr. Rutherford! These are not veiled threats! We can and _will_ tear this house inside out if we have to, in order to find Mrs. King! Now, if you decide you want to cooperate, I'm not saying we won't prosecute you, but we can certainly talk to the DA about a lighter sentence!"

"I've told you, already," Hunter confidently insisted, "I do NOT know the whereabouts of Mrs. King!"

"LIAR!" Lee's eyes were like steel as he pointed a shaking, accusing finger at Hunter, "Listen Rutherford, you have her, and if you don't hand her over, I'm going to have an entire _platoon_ of agents swarming about your place! Nothing will be left upturned and afterwards, your so-called precious antiques will look like a pile of rubbish!"

"Is that so?" Hunter responded, casually taking a sip of his iced tea. After putting his tea down, he matter-of-factly stated, "It will be a total waste of time for them." After pausing he added, "...You know, Stetson, even though I was not the one who kidnapped Amanda, I might know who the actual kidnapper is!"

"We already know who kidnapped her!" growled Lee, "It was your right hand man Hiltson!"

" _Really_ now?" Hunter placed his glass down, "So there you go. You have nothing on me."

Rutherford's evasiveness and smugness was really getting on Lee's nerves.

Lee would try a different tactic, "Rutherford, you've allowed us onto your property quite handily; your gates practically welcomed us with opened arms! You obviously need something from us. What is it?""

"Ahhh, at last, you've come to your senses!" Hunter gave a satisfied smile, "Everything comes at a price, doesn't it?"

He rang a small bell that had sitting on the small poolside table and soon his man servant Manny appeared with a typed paper and handed it over to his boss.

Lee narrowed his eyes, "What is that?"

"A contract," Hunter explained, "it states you will stop any investigations into my business and give me immunity from any type of prosecution. In exchange, I will tell you were Mr. Hiltson is, right at this moment, so you can deal with him and get back your Mrs. King."

For a second Lee considered the deal.

 _But Rutherford was a wanted drug criminal; how could they give him immunity? Lee thought. No, they will find Amanda on their own. This Rutherford was truly the scum of the earth and needs to be put away!_

"RUTHERFORD, YOU'RE CRAZY IF YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO WALK AWAY, SCOT-FREE!" Lee burst out in anger.

Francine reprimanded him with a sharp,"Lee! This isn't helping Amanda!"

Then turning to Hunter, Francine coolly stated, "As a representative of the government, Mr. Rutherford, the idea of giving you immunity would be considered... absolutely _absurd_. In other words, it's an adamant NO!"

"...with an added,' GO TO HELL' to boot!'" Lee supplemented.

The personal jabs didn't seem to bother Hunter in the least.

"Then we are done," he dismissively announced, plastering on a fake smile, "Have a nice day, Mr. Stetson, Ms. Desmond!"

From seemingly out of nowhere, two armed bodyguards appeared.

Unfortunately neither guard was Rutherford's right hand man, Lester Hiltson. And Lee couldn't figure out Rutherford's continual denial of any involvement in the kidnapping, unless...

suddenly, flashes of ideas entered Lee's mind.

 _...the time when after Lee beat up Hilton in the library and Hiltson had fearfully stated, "...best to die quick like this than face what HE will do to me..." (He WHO?)_

 _...when Lucy was kidnapped, the kidnapper's note had signed off with an'H'. (at the time Lee had assumed the 'H' stood for 'Hunter'. What if it stood for 'Hiltson'?)_

 _...at the Liberty Club, when Rutherford claimed no knowledge of Lucy's kidnapping and then the restaurant was shot up (why would Rutherford risk being injured?)_

And these random thoughts caused Lee to suddenly draw a different conclusion…

He slowly faced Rutherford, his tone accusing, "Turns out I was wrong, wasn't I, Rutherford?" he rhetorically asked, "You actually _had_ no involvement in the kidnapping; it _was_ all Hiltson's doing!"

Rutherford causally popped another appetizer in his mouth. It took awhile for him to chew it, "You ARE rather slow at this, aren't you, Stetson?"

"And Hiltson wasn't your right hand man, was he?" Lee conjectured, "in fact, _it was actually the other way around!"_

He thought he had it all figured out until he saw Hunter's reaction.

There seemed to be a new coldness in Hunter's voice, "I do NOT answer to Hiltson!" he claimed, shooting Lee a look of disdain.

"Lee, he may have a point," Francine pointedly reasoned, "I don't think Lester Hiltson's light bulb is bright enough to plan _two_ kidnappings!"

"...then if it's not _that,_ " Lee re-analyzed, "the only thing it could mean is...Hiltson reports to someone even _more_ powerful than you, which means both you and Hiltson are working for HIM!"

Besides not denying it, Rutherford's exasperated face said it all.

"We were discussing this contract!" he snapped,holding it up, "So do we have a deal or not?"

"No deal!...We've got bigger fish to fry now!" Lee confidently stated as he stood, and then he warned, "but I'm not done with _you_ _yet_ , Rutherford. Not by a mile!"

Hunter didn't seem the least bit fazed. He knew Lee had nothing on him.

"You'll _never_ get me on _anything_ , Stetson!"

Lee ignored his statement, "Come on, Francine!"

"Francine stood, "Gladly!" She then snarkily added, "And don't bother having your goons show us the way out! I wouldn't want them to get lost, being that they probably don't know their left from their right!"

Rutherford figuratively waved them away, an annoyed look on his face, "Good riddance to you two."

Before Lee left, he told Hunter, " _I swear to you, Rutherford, I'm bringing Amanda back safe and sound! And after I either arrest Hiltson or beat him up to a pulp, I'm coming for YOU!""_

Then Lee got the satisfaction of seeing Rutherford's discomfort.

.

.

Back at the Agency, Francine had immediately gone to her desk to listen to any conversation Rutherford had with his men from the listening device they had secretly planted. Lee was already updating Billy in his office. It couldn't have been more than 20 minutes later when Francine came in and stated that Rutherford had mentioned a 'Senator' several times in his talks with his men.

Billy's mind clicked, "Yeahhhh...I seem to remember there was a some kind of connection between Rutherford and a state senator..."

Meanwhile, Francine had left to continue with her eavesdropping while Billy was busy shuffling through the many stacks of files he had on his desk. He must have found what he wanted because a smile appeared on his face.

"Got it!" he announced, as he took the file out and began skimming.

Meanwhile, Lee was getting impatient, "What does the file say?" He wanted to know, "is there a Senator mentioned?"

"Hold on, Scarecrow," Billy stated, lifting a hand as he continued scanning for information.

"Well?" Lee asked, mere seconds later.

Billy stopped his reading to address Lee, "Which part of 'hold on' don't you understand? The ' _hold_ ' or the ' _on'_? Good God, Man, stop interrupting me!" he exclaimed as he went back to his reading.

To Lee it felt like he was sitting in his seat for a week as he stared at Billy reading. He never realized how shiny the top of Billy's head was. But now was not the time to mention that.

At last Billy pointed a finger at one of the pages, "Here! Looks like Rutherford used to contribute to the campaign of State Senator Bob Sanderson of Virginia!"

"Bob Sanderson...why does that name sound so familiar?" Lee wondered, "wasn't he in the news fairly recently?"

"You're right," Billy nodded, "about a year ago, there was a criminal investigation and political scandal concerning allegations of government involvement in illegal drug trade between two states. Sanderson was at the center of this. Unfortunately one witness was unreliable and the other witness went missing, so we couldn't make any charges stick and Sanderson was never indicted."

"Hmmm..." Lee steepled his hands together in deep thought, "What a coincidence that both the Senator and Rutherford have been suspected of being in the drug trade. Anything else intriguing about our illustrious senator?"

"Hold on and this time I mean 'hold on'," Billy stated as went into his file case. After pulling out a file, he skimmed its contents, "Interesting."

Lee felt like lunging at Billy, "What...WHAT?"

"Seems the senator also heads up the Virginia Gaming Commission in the state legislature."

Lee looked surprised, "I didn't know you can gamble in the state of Virginia."

"You can't, or at least not in the way that you'd think," Billy explained, "Virginia gambling laws are relatively restrictive. While casinos are specifically prohibited, the state allows horse racing and off-track betting at licensed facilities."

Lee lifted an eyebrow, "Any chance Rutherford plays the ponies?"

"Let's just check on that, shall we?" Billy suggested as he switched files and flipped a few pages of Rutherford's file.

"According to his taxes here," Billy stated, "Rutherford's accountants had file a miscellaneous itemized deduction on Schedule A of his tax return. That means Rutherford must have tried to take a tax deduction on his gambling losses."

"Any way we can find out how much he lost last year?"

"No, the information is not accessible to the public nor to our Agency," Billy sighed, "but I'm thinking that it must have been a huge amount; otherwise he wouldn't want to itemize it and I have a feeling the numbers are skewed anyway."

"Okay, okay," Lee stated his thoughts out loud, "so let's say Rutherford likes to play the ponies with wads of cash, but he plays them poorly."

"It's possible," Billy mused, "so what you're saying is that despite Rutherford International Inc. outwardly being a success, Hunter, the individual, might be in debt?"

"It could happen that way, couldn't it?" Lee stated, "and maybe, just _maybe_ Rutherford talked to Senator Sanderson about his financial situation. It would make sense that they are at least acquaintances, being they run around in the same social circles. And because of the debts Rutherford accumulated, he may have contacted the Senator to obtain some credit or perhaps to borrow some money from him."

"That's a lot of _perhaps."_

"But it's possible, isn't it?" Lee was more convinced than ever, "And in exchange for settling his bets, Rutherford would help the Senator out by smuggling drugs for him! Easy to do when you run a shipping empire."

Billy was more logical, "But we need proof, Lee! Without proof, you're just another agent with an opinion!"

Lee frustratingly ran his hand through his hair, "I know! _I know_!"

Just then a door knock interrupted their conversation and Francine came in.

"Tell us you've got something on where we can locate Amanda," Billy cajoled her.

"Luckily I picked up a poolside chat between Rutherford and Hiltson," she stated, "they had been arguing back and forth...but I don't think you're going to like what I'm going to tell you."

Lee sat up straighter and steeled himself for the bad news, "Was the conversation about Amanda? She's alright, isn't she?"

Francine looked slightly worried.

"If I'm interpreting the phone message correctly, she's fine...for now," she told him, "but Rutherford was definitely angry at Hiltson, because Hiltson was threatening to get rid of the 'package' very soon, after 'experimenting' with her a bit!"

Lee jumped up, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN?!"

He looked as thought he had aged 10 years.

"Lee, we need calmer heads," Billy advised, "that's the only way we'll be able to find Mrs. King."

Francine declared, "Between all of Rutherford's and Sanderson's holdings, the possible places Amanda could be held are staggering!"

"Wait! Hold it!" Lee's eyes danced with tense excitement, "When we spoke with Lucy after her being kidnapped, I remembered Lucy mentioning that she was held in a building much like a _warehouse_! Rutherford has a ton of those, right? Perhaps Hiltson used one to hide Amanda, so let's narrow our searches to warehouses that Rutherford owns!"

"Okay, that cuts the search in half," Francine considered, "but that still leaves at least a half a dozen different locations!"

"...whichever place Hiltson picked, he would most likely be holding Amanda at some remote location," Lee envisioned, "the more isolated the building, the better!"

"That's good!" Billy encouragingly stated, as he turned to Francine, "Francine, could you get us the location of any semi-abandoned warehouses that might be leased to Rutherford International or under the name of Senator Sanderson?"

"I'm on it!" Francine enthused, as she left to do her research.

After she left, Billy tried to Lee some comforting words.

"Don't worry, Scarecrow, we'll find her!"

"I need to believe that!" Lee hopefully stated, "We need to bring Amanda back home to the people she loves!"

Billy gave Lee a questioning look back, wondering what he meant by that.

.

.

 _Please review_


	27. Chapter 27

Trouble

Chapter 27

(Inside one of Rutherford International warehouses)

Amanda's head lolled to one side before she began to stir herself to consciousness.

She felt as though her eyes had been taped shut as she forced them to open and tried to focus. The last thing she remembered was a needle being inserted into her neck and then her world was plunged into darkness.

Fully awake now, she adjusted herself to sit upright in the solitude of the room. She hated the discomfort of the wooden chair Though it was daylight outside, it was dark inside the room due to the windows being smeared and cloudy with time. A bare bulb in the center of the room cast the main light in the room. The only furniture in the room besides the chair she sat in was a cheap, matching table and one other wooden chair.

Looking around, she surmised she must be locked in some type of abandoned warehouse. Random thoughts meandered throughout her mind at her situation. Then tears surfaced at what she worried about the most.

 _Her boys._

 _Mother._

 _What must they think of her disappearance?_

 _What if she were never to see them again?_

Desperate, Amanda looked around for something nearby to help her escape. She was usually pretty good at improvising, but there were no sharp items or anything she could use to untie herself. Grimacing, she pulled hard on the ropes on her wrists and ankles. So hard, in fact, that her skin began to become raw and reddened, but the ropes held fast.

At last she gave up when she realized all she was doing was exerting wasted energy. What she needed now was to reserve her strength so she could think clearly.

Her eyes continued to scan for any clues of how to escape when she suddenly noticed something stacked up over the top of the door. Craning her neck, she narrowed her eyes to help focus on the item.

And her eyes widened when recognition set in.

She didn't have to be a spy to know that there was probably enough explosives set above the door to demolish the entire room.

 _Ohmygosh!_ Amanda panicked, as she continued to eye the dynamite, _Were the explosives set to go off soon?_

The room suddenly felt stifling hot, well past tropical temperature, the air thick and still. Amanda could feel sweat soaking through her clothes. She shifted to get more comfortable.

As she shut her eyes in desperation, another image entered her mind.

 _Lee._

 _Lee with his courage and...kind heart. Sure, he would never admit the last quality, but being with him these last few days, she knew that beneath the tough guy veneer, there was a man who cared; who believed he was making the world a better place. And that same_ _person made sure to keep her safe every step of the mission, while_ _at the same time, managing to make her laugh to ease her fears._

She opened her eyes.

No longer as fearful as before, she could now feel hope filling her heart.

 _Surely he would not forget her._

 _He would find her somehow._

 _After all, the good guys always won, right?_

 _RIGHT?_

 _._

A connecting door to the side of her opened and Lester Hiltson walked in, complete with a smug smile and a confident swagger.

"Well, Mrs. King, you're awake at last!" he smirked, "Welcome to Hotel Ka-Boom!"

Amanda only glared at him. If she was the kind of person who kept hate in her heart, he would be the first in line to receive it.

Meanwhile Hiltson had grabbed the only other chair from the room and sat down backwards on it, his body in close proximity to hers.

"Tsk! Tsk! Such a frown from a beautiful woman!" he jestingly observed, as he reached out towards her face and dragged his index finger down her cheek.

Repulsed by his touch, Amanda instinctively leaned her head back, "Please don't do that! Leave me alone!"

Insulted, he quickly withdrew his hand as his expression turned cold.

"You'll be sorry for your rudeness!" he snapped, "And don't think I had forgotten how you almost broke my back when you slammed me underneath Rutherford's desk! To this day, my back still acts up big time every now and then!"

Amanda narrowed her eyes and snapped back, "That's not pain you're feeling in your back, Mr. Hiltson; that's _moral goodness_ leaving you!"

THWACK!

Without warning, Hiltson had reached over and slapped Amanda hard across her cheek with his opened palm. Pain exploded upon impact on her right cheek as her head was abruptly yanked sideways.

She tried hard not to react, tried to be brave, but tears welled up in her eyes. It took all her courage to blink back the tears.

Hiltson's face was beet red angry, "I DON'T NEED ANY BACK TALK FROM YOU!" he spat out, his words filled with venom, "ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE A HELL OF A CHANCE OF GETTING OUT OF HERE ALIVE!"

"You're WRONG! Lee will find me!" Amanda confidently shot back, "And when he does, you'll regret every evil thing you've done, Mister!"

Hiltson gave that smug smile that Amanda had come to detest.

"Gooood!" he sneered, "Because he's the reason I've kept you alive!" he now stood and gestured towards the explosives, "Unbeknownst to Stetson, that door is booby trapped with explosives, so once he opens it to rescue _you_..." his hands made an explosive gesture, "KA-BOOM! Get it? 'Hotel Ka-Boom'! Then it'll be over for the two of you!"

Amanda shakily shifted her eyes towards the dreaded dynamite above the door.

Now she miserably hoped that Lee would _neve_ r find her.

Hiltson turned to leave. She watched his retreat as he headed back to the connecting door. And when he slammed the door, leaving her alone once again, her shoulders slumped in silent defeat.

.

From the connecting room, Lester Hiltson was making a call to his boss, Senator Bob Sanderson, to update him on his plans.

 _"Dammit, Hiltson!" t_ he Senator sounded aggravated, _"I didn't authorize you to kidnap anyone and the government is already breathing down my back! That wasn't the plan and you know it!"_

Hiltson got on the defensive, " _Are you kidding me? I'm cleaning up YOUR mess, Boss! YOU'RE the one who got Rutherford involved and due to his carelessness, the coded shipment pad was stolen! And need I remind you that **I** was the one who retrieved it back? Now I need to find out if they've broken the code and know about our next shipment_!"

The Senator sounded annoyed, _"Even if they didn't break the code, these government people know too much!"_

 _"That's why I'm handling this even as we speak, alright? I plan to use the woman I've captured to find out how much they know about Sunday's shipment! Then when Stetson comes to the rescue, I'll get rid of both of them in one fell swoop!"_

 _"No, stop! Just stop talking!"_ the Senator exasperatedly commanded _, "I don't need to hear anymore of this!..._ _I can't be connected to any crimes!"_

 _"That's why **I'm** handling everything!"_

" _Whatever! Just be careful..It's_ _not YOUR good name on the line!"_ Senator Sanderson reminded him, _"I plan to run for President in two years and I can't have blood on my hands! You hear me?"_

Hiltson went into reassurance mode, _"Boss, this is me! Your Clean-Up Man, remember? After I find out what I need to find out, there'll be a little accident in this warehouse! Everyone knows how dangerous it is to store a shipment of dynamite in an old warehouse! Unintended explosions happen this way all the time! And THIS time the explosion will be so tremendous that any bodies left in the rubble will be mere dust particles!"_

 _"THAT'S your foolhardy plan?" a frustrated Senator asked._

Hiltson felt insulted, " _Hey! I bet you won't be saying that to me once Rutherford collects that insurance money and passes it on to you!"_

 _Hmmmm, insurance money...T_ he Senator liked that part, " _Okay, Fine!...But the fire BETTER look accidental! And make sure they don't find the bodies!"_

"Nothing to worry about _, Senator. I already have my men looking out for Stetson's arrival. Everything is under contro_ -"

 _Click._

 _Dial tone_

The Senator had angrily hung up. Hiltson stared indignantly at the phone, then his jaw tightened and he slammed his phone down hard as well.

"GO TO HELL, SENATOR!" he yelled out to no one.

 _The senator, as well as Rutherford, have become soft!_ Hiltson concluded, _It was now up to him!_

 _Hiltson knew he already ran the East Coast operations, and after he gets the information he needed out of the King woman and everything cools down, the Senator will be so impressed with Hiltson's deeds that he'll be instantly promoted to i nternational operations, for sure!_

The more Hiltson thought about it, the more he liked the idea.

Opening the desk side drawer, he pulled out a hypodermic needle and a vial filled with some kind of liquid.

 _Time to act,_ Hiltson thought as he maliciously smiled to himself.

.

The port of Richmond in Virginia is an international freight and distribution center serving shipping activities throughout the mid-Atlantic region. One particular area primarily handled containerized cargo. And tucked away in one of the corners was an obscure warehouse.

And it seemed the perfect place to secretly store cargo, or even a kidnapped person.

Lee and Francine had just arrived at the outskirts of the warehouse that Rutherford owned. They had left the car hidden in some bushes. From where they were crouched, they had a limited view of the warehouse, a long white old building that could have been a busy terminal in its younger days, but now sat alone and dilapidated.

Francine could tell that Lee was worried. He looked like he aged ten years in the last 24 hours.

"Lee, you okay?" she concernedly asked.

His tone even sounded tired, "Yeah. Sure. I just wished that Amanda..." but he never finished as he regretfully shook his head.

Francine seemed to understand as she empathetically touched his arm, "Hey, we'll get her; you know that!"

"I hope so," Lee miserably responded back and when he turned to Francine his frustration showed in his eyes, "Francine, I was supposed to keep her safe! She depended on me!"

"And that's why we're here," Francine told him, "You and I are going to keep her safe again! Be her strength, Lee! She's depending on you!"

Lee heavily nodded, "You're right, you're right."

"So let's get started then," Francine advised.

Taking a breath of fortitude, Lee reached in his backpack and withdrew his binoculars.

"I just thought of something," Lee commented while scanning the warehouse area with his binoculars, "Hiltson's records showed that he had been a demolitions expert while serving in the army."

Francine scowled, "Yeah, and?"

"So we gotta be careful—he may have some explosives hidden in places to surprise us" Lee stated, still focused on any suspicious activity around the warehouse, "And it looks like we're not alone here, either. I count, let's see...1...2...So far, I've counted two men wandering the premises for no apparent reason. There's nothing to protect in a supposedly empty warehouse. Odds are getting better that Amanda is being held there!"

"Let me take a look," Francine suggested, as he handed over his pair to her and she focused specifically at the building itself.

"Welllll, this is interesting..." she observed.

"What is?" Lee asked.

"All the windows are equipped with somewhat opened blinds except there seems to be only one room with the blinds all the way down. It's the room at the very end."

She handed him back his binoculars so he could see it, too.

Lee took a long, hard look, "I see that...chances are excellent that Hiltson is holding Amanda there!"

"Looks to be," Francine concurred.

He shoved the binoculars away, "So let's go get her!" he stated, ready to storm the place.

"Wait, not so fast, Rambo!" Francine warned him, surprised Lee was thinking so irrationally. It was obvious Amanda meant a great deal to him, "We've already got Plan A in the works, remember?"

Lee sighed and settled back down again, "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

"That's better," Francine looked pleased as she stared down at her watch, "It's almost time."

Lee looked down at his watch as well, "...I just hope Billy comes through for us!"

"Don't worry!" Francine assured him, "He'll do his job—you just be sure you do yours!"

.

Hiltson was back sitting on the chair turned backwards, staring harshly at Amanda, his eyes dark.

"Tell me about Stetson!" he ordered, "What exactly does he for the government? And how much does he know about our shipping operations?"

"That's something you'll have to ask Mr. Stetson!" Amanda stubbornly insisted, "Because I don't plan on telling you anything!"

THWACK!

He slapped her hard again.

"YOU'RE A FOOL!" he yelled at her, "I'm giving you once more chance to cooperate...I want to know if Stetson was able to break the shipment codes!"

At first Amanda wasn't going to responded, but she was curious to see his reaction, "What if I told you _**I**_ was the one who broke the code?"

Hiltson had an incredulous look on his face, "You? So you think I'm stupid enough to believe that _you_ broke an unbreakable code? It never occurred to me that you could be so clever! Are you telling me that this _Mary Poppins_ facade of yours is just a sham?"

Amanda squared her shoulders and held her head high, "I don't know if I was just insulted or complimented!"

Hiltson didn't have time for this silliness; he was getting impatient, "So are you going to cooperate or not?"

Amanda looked directly at him, "I don't think I like your attitude, so I won't answer any more questions!"

He looked as if he expected that answer, "I figured as much."

Amanda didn't like the ominous sound of that as she carefully watched his next move.

Meanwhile Hiltson had brought out a syringe with the needle pointed up, and in his other hand he pulled out the vial. Inserting the needle of the syringe into the rubber tip of the vial, he drew the drug out slowly into the needle. He put on quite a show, fully enjoying how scared Amanda looked at what he was doing. Upon completion, he flicked his fingers at the tube to tap the air bubbles out.

Eyes wide, Amanda watched each and every movement, her body paralyzed.

Then she gulped, "W-What IS that?"

Hiltson casually glanced her way, "It's one of the drugs we had imported from Cuba. A synthetic form of the drug S _odium Pentothal,_ or what layman like yourself might call a 'truth serum'. This experimental drug has not been fully vetted and approved, so you'll be our first volunteer before we distribute it to our clients. They use it as a way to get the info they need and I have a feeling you'll be talking up a storm about Stetson and coded messages in no time."

At the idea of being drugged with some experimental drug, Amanda's body cramped and her brain short-circuited with fear. She took a hard swallow.

"Y-You're not going to put that terrible-looking stuff in _me,_ are you?"

His smile looked devious, "You've left me no choice, Mrs. King. You're about to learn that _not_ cooperating with me has its consequences!"

He headed her way with the syringe in his hand.

"You don't want to do that!" insisted Amanda as she tried to make up an excuse, "the, uh... needle may be dirty, you know. And, besides that...you don't know where it's been, and... and I didn't see you earlier washing your hands, either!"

He chuckled as he loomed over her. Then his eyes darkened.

"Will you answer my questions about Stetson and the shipment then?"

She stubbornly pursed her lips tight, "No!"

He looked menacingly down at her, "I've tried being reasonable, but looks like I'll have to take a more hostile measure!" he made a big deal of displaying the needle to her, "Get ready to _really_ talk, Mary Poppins.…"

Fear banged inside of Amanda as her muscles tensed.

The needle was almost upon her as she thrashed her upper body this way and that, "No! Don't! Stopppp...!"

But all her protestations were of no use as she felt another painful stabbing prick at the side of her neck.

.

.

 _Please review_


	28. Chapter 28

The Rescue, part 1

.

Chapter 28

Amanda's focus was fuzzy.

Lester Hiltson had just injected some experimental drug in her system. Her brain seemed to be suddenly pumping, as if it would explode...and then suddenly, it relaxed in a haze of puffy pillows.

"You! Wake up!" a voice commanded.

Amanda's mind was still out of focus, so when she focused her attention towards the sound, all she saw was a blurry silhouette standing before her.

She blinked and stared out in complete bafflement.

He loudly snapped his fingers in front of her.

"HEY! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

But his voice sounded far away and she could only stare out, as if she were in a trance.

The silhouette grabbed her by the shoulders and began shaking her.

"COME ON LADY! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Her head flopped back and forth until her neck hurt. When he stopped, her eyes were still wide and not blinking. But she opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't. Do. That," she stated in a robotic tone, "I don't like that. And I don't like you."

A please expression was plastered on Hiltson's face; the truth drug seemed to be working!

"What is your name?" he asked, testing her.

"Amanda King."

As expected. The interrogation will be smooth sailing from now on.

"Good. Now tell me about what you know about the coded shipment pad!"

Her body erratically shook, as if she was fighting a battle within herself.

Hiltson yelled in her face to get her attention, "THE CODED SHIPMENT NOTEPAD! TELL ME ABOUT THE CODED SHIPMENT NOTEPAD...WAS STETSON ABLE TO BREAK THE CODE?"

Amanda made a face at his rudeness, then mechanically stated, "No. It was me. I broke the code."

Hiltson stared open mouthed at her.

DAMN IT, he cussed. He had been mistaken! _THE DRUG HADN'T TAKEN EFFECT YET!_

He angrily stared down at his watch.

How long would it take for the drug to react? he wondered.

He'd give it two minutes. Tops.

Two minutes passed. He would try again.

He asked, "Who do you work for?"

Amanda was staring at him, trying to comprehend his question.

"WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" he repeated even louder.

She shook her head to clear her mind, "I work for my boys. Between checking homework. Driving to baseball games. Cleaning bedrooms. Fixing meals. Washing dirty clothes. They've got me working. But it's rewarding,", she blinked and then remembered to be gracious, "What about you? Do you like what you do?"

Hiltson's face turned red with impatient fury. WHY WASN'T THE DRUG WORKING YET?

He took in a deep breath and tried again.

"I know for a fact you work for the government! Tell me in what capacity? Are you an agent?"

Amanda listened slowly carefully to each word, syllable by syllable.

"An agent? Me? Like in insurance? Or travel?"

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" he impatiently interrupted, as Amanda quickly snapped her mouth shut, "TELL ME WHAT YOUR JOB IS OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE!"

"You want to know about...my gardening?"

Hiltson buried his head in his hands.

 _Stupid drug suppliers must have sold him a case of placebos! Or maybe it was a drug that lowered a person's IQ!_

 _Ring!Ring!_

His head turned at his office phone ringing from next door.

 _ _Dammit__ _!_ Hiltson thought, _now what?_

"I don't like this place," Amanda complained as she wrinkled her nose, "And you smell funny."

Hiltson face was raging, "I should _slap_ you again for insulting me!"

Amanda shook her head, "That's not an insult..." she insisted and then leaned forward to make her point, "...that's a description _."_

ACKKK!

 _Maybe he should go answer the phone instead. It could be the Senator or Rutherford with further instructions._

He stared at Amanda with disdain _. Maybe by the time he'd finish the call, the drug will have started working and if not, he'll be sure to get a refund from his supplier!_

He got up to leave, still angry that the truth drug was so slow acting.

Amanda watched him get up from his seat.

"Goodbye, Mr. Hiltson," she politely bid him, "I won't miss you."

 _._

Meanwhile, outside the warehouse, Lee peered through the binoculars and counted two men wandering around the premises and one man inside the premises.

"So what do you think?" Francine was asking him.

" I think…." Lee continued to watch, "That there's two men guarding a non -operating warehouse. So that means the warehouse isn't empty at all."

He was relieved that with that few of men, getting in to rescue Amanda shouldn't be too difficult.

"I saw another one earlier go into the warehouse," Francine noted, "So what's our next move?"

"We wait. We first need to get Hiltson out of that warehouse before we can rescue Amanda," Lee stated to Francine.

She nodded, "I hope Billy makes his call soon."

.

 _Ring!Ring!_

 _Hiltson had reached the phone in the other room at last and impatiently picked it up, "_ Yeah?"

"Is this Lester Hiltson?" Billy's authoritarian voice was heard through the receiver.

It was a voice Hiltson didn't recognized as he stared back at the room Amanda was tied up in.

"Who the hell is this?" he brusquely asked, "and make it quick!"

"My name is Billy Milton and I am calling in behalf of the Virginia Port Authority," Billy explained, "I need to talk to a Lester Hilton. Is he there?"

"That's me, but if you've got some beef with Rutherford, you need to-"

Billy quickly interrupted, "-Mr. Hiltson, it has come to our attention that Mr. Rutherford needs to sign some papers regarding the new ownership of his warehouse in the Bell Isle Marina. We had spoken to Mr. Rutherford earlier in the month regarding this matter, but so far, the papers have been left unsigned."

"Yeah, so? How does that concern me?" Hiltson sounded uninterested, "That's a matter between you and Rutherford! Why are you bothering me?"

"Because, Sir," Billy explained, "we were given your name as a representative of his entire warehouse operations."

"Me?" Hiltson found that fact hard to swallow, "You sure about that?"

"Yes, indeed! Mr. Rutherford made it _very_ clear to us that, you, Mr. Hiltson, have authority to sign any legal papers on his behalf regarding warehouse business. He signed papers giving you full authority."

Hiltson stood taller, "You have those papers with you?"

"Most certainly, Sir," Billy assured him, "You didn't know that?" he challenged.

"O-Of course I knew that, and I'll be sure to take care of the matter! I'll go down and sign the papers tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow? Unfortunately, we've heard that excuse before, Mr. Hiltson, and we've received no results," Billy sounded firm, "I must warn you that we have other corporations interested in purchasing that particular warehouse area with us. If you don't sign these papers, I'm afraid we will be forced to go with the next higher bidder. It's all stated here in our addendum clause with Mr. Rutherford. Unfortunately, my bosses will not let the decision be delayed another day! I'm sure you can understand the predicament I'm in."

"So I HAVE to sign the papers _today?_ Right now?"

If you want to be guaranteed ownership rights for this particular marina, yes. You will need to drive to our downtown offices in order to sign the papers. Only you or Mr. Rutherford can sign these papers. For us, your signature is as good as his."

Billy had purposely played up to Hiltson's ego regarding the power of his signature.

 _ _About time I've got some respect!__ Hiltson smugly thought, _Maybe Rutherford had finally smartened up and this was his way of extending an olive branch!_

"Yeah, sure okay, I'll do it," agreed Hiltson, "gimme your address."

He wrote down the address and hung up. Hiltson figured the drive there and back would take an hour, tops.

He looked towards Amanda's direction in the next room. He figured that maybe the drug wasn't working right because it needed time to 'simmer'.

He grabbed his car keys and left.

.

The walkie talkie next to Lee made a transmission noise before Billy's voice blasted through it, " _Scarecrow, this is Base. Come in."_

"Just in time," Lee announced to Francine as he picked up the device and pushed the button, _"Go ahead, Base."_

" _What's your 20. Over."_

Lee responded back with, " _Eyes on location, ready to strike."_

" _Roger that, Scarecrow... 21 accomplished. Do you copy?"_

'21' meant Billy had completed the expected phone call to Hiltson's office.

" _Affirmative, Base"_ Lee acknowledged _, "Over."_

" _Over,"_ Billy stated, but then quickly broke formalities, _"And you two be sure to watch yourselves!"_

Lee grinned as he gave his last transmission to Billy, _"_ _Will do. 10-4."_

With the call completed, Lee put the walkie-talkie away.

It was time to proceed with the next step.

.

Still looking through his binoculars, Lee had Hiltson in his sights now, and his eyes followed Hiltson getting in his car, and maneuvering it away from its parking spot.

"… _annnd..._ Hiltson is gone," Lee announced to Francine, as he lowered his binoculars.

Francine had grabbed the binoculars to have a look herself. After watching the back of Hiltson's taillights, she now turned her attention to have a better look at the warehouse.

"Uh-oh," Francine worriedly stated, still peering through the binoculars.

Lee turned her way, alarmed, "What is it now?"

"Looks like there may be a snag in our plans."

Lee scowled, "What do you mean? More guards?"

"No, but I see there's a satellite on the roof up there on the building," Francine pointed out, "I could be wrong, but looks to be some kind of jamming device. I don't think we'll be able to communicate with you as long as you're in the building."

That was __no__ _t_ good news.

But it wasn't really bad news, either.

Lee would just have to improvise.

He looked back at the building.

"I've got a plan," he decided, "Each office there has blinds on its windows. Once I make it into that last room successfully, I'll raise the blinds halfway up to let you know the coast is clear and to stay nearby. If I lower them all the way down again, it means there's explosives in the room and you stay out. If I raise them all the way up, you'll know that I need your help and you'll come in with guns blazing. Got that?"

Good thing Francine was a quick learn.

"Raise halfway, you're in. Lowered again means explosives, stay out. Raised all the way up, I come in," she competently repeated, "Got it. But we need to get rid of the extra guards first."

"Yeah, they're such a nuisance," Lee dryly remarked, "You think you can handle them?"

"Believe me, getting rid of them shouldn't be a problem," Francine nonchalantly stated, "It's considered 'free entertainment' for me!' "

"Which is why I feel sorry for them," Lee grinned before getting serious again, "Come on. Let's go."

"I'm right behind you."

Lee and Francine already had on the same overalls that the warehouse workers had on, the one that had the logo "Rutherford Shipping Inc." sewn on the upper left chest.

From their back pockets they both whipped out the uniformed caps and positioned it on top of their head. Their simple disguises were complete.

Lee and Francine ran and covertly positioned themselves behind the building. Plastering their backs up against the building, they waited. Soon enough, they heard footsteps just beyond them coming their way.

Francine turned to give Lee one last look as he nodded back.

When the coast was cleared, they covertly ran until they reached the warehouse office building. They remained hidden, their backs against the wall of the warehouse.

They could hear footsteps approaching. One of the two warehouse guards was headed their way. When he was almost past them, Francine grabbed him in a chokehold and placed a cloth saturated with chloroform to the nose of the struggling guard.

"Hey, Guy, I need your opinion on something..." spoke Francine sardonically into the ear of the struggling man, "…does this rag smell like chloroform to you?"

It didn't take long for the man's body to stop fighting and go limp. Lee and Francine dragged him behind some bushes.

"I'll take care of the other guy, too," Francine stated, as she reached into her pocket for another rag, "You go get Amanda."

"Right," Lee stated as he then grabbed the man's ID card from around his neck, "Good luck."

"You, too," Francine stated as she applied chloroform to the new rag.

Lee confidently walked into the warehouse. Upon entering he noted a guard desk. With his cap worn low on his head, he approached and flashed his Id card. The guard nodded and then Lee grabbed the man's head and stuck a rag soaked in chloroform in his face as well.

With the last guard out of the way, Lee continued on and walked into a somewhat dimmed hallway.

With careful steps, Lee reached the last door in the hallway, presumably, the one that held Amanda. Remembering from Hiltson's file that he had been a demolitions expert, Lee took a small flashlight from his pocket and shined a ray of light all around the slit opening of the door.

He stopped when he noted a dark shadow blocking the light from the slit on top of the door. This obstruction meant something was placed above the door from the inside.

Lee scowled. __Anyone in the spy business knew that in order to open a door, it must be free of obstacles.__

Looking at the door, Lee surmised that with Hiltson's background, _the possibility of explosives being planted in the room just shot through the roof,_ he thought, _excuse the pun._

 _If he were to open that door, the unstable bomb could go off. Hiltson could also possibly have a remote detonating device with him as well._

 _There had to be a way for people to get in and out of that locked room without setting off the bomb. Lee looked at the door next to the locked room and a plan formed in his head._

 _A connecting door would work just fine._

 _He would get in through the adjoining room and hope the connecting door was free of explosives._

Going to the door next door, he took out two metal thick spikes of different sizes, Lee maneuvered the two pins in the lock until a click could be heard. He turned the knob and went in.

The room he entered was obviously a storage room, the only furniture being a whole row of locked file cabinets and an old writing desk with a phone and a chair. Lee wasn't interested in any of this as he went directly to the connecting door.

Just in case, he ran his flashlight around the perimeter of the connecting door. It seemed clear.

Putting his hand on the knob, he shut his eyes for a split second before he turned the knob. He thought it ironic that his and Amanda's life had been dependent on a cheap, mini- flashlight.

He turned the knob, It merely clicked; Lee was able to breathe again.

.

The rumble of the car's engine could be heard as Hiltson continued driving down the road. He decided to stop at the local liquor store to pick up a drink and a snack.

He took a guzzle of his drink while sitting in his car. The break allowed him to analyze his situation. And the longer he thought about it, the more he felt things didn't sound right.

Walking back towards the liquor store, he handed the clerk five dollars in order to use their phone, After talking with the operator, he was connected to the Port Authority office headquarters.

He asked to speak to a Billy Milton. As he listened to the person in charge of real estate for the port, his face turned red with rage as he slammed the phone down in the middle of the conversation and cussed out loud all the way back to his vehicle.

 _"God dammit!_ His hunch was right!

 _There was no official named Billy Milton who worked there! If only Hiltson had trusted his first instinct! Now he realized that it was a scheme to get him away from the warehouse._

He was willing to bet that Stetson was behind all this.

 _Double Damn!_

 _Hiltson was determined NOT to be outsmarted by a government flunky!_

The car made skid marks as he hurriedly completed the U- turn, his car tires screeching as he headed back towards the warehouse.

.

.

 _Please review_


	29. Chapter 29

The Rescue, part 2

Chapter 29

With his adrenaline pumping, Lee cautiously opened the connecting door of the warehouse, not knowing what he was going to find behind it.

The heat in the room was sweltering and it felt like a sauna on overdrive. The dilapidated room reeked of mustiness, but all Lee could feel was relief, for he instantly spotted Amanda tied up on a chair in the center of the room.

He never had such a feeling of protectiveness as he rushed forward, "Amanda!"

Amanda slowly turned her head at her name being called. Strangely, she didn't smile, didn't perk up. The only clue that she even recognized him was the slight softening of her face.

"Hello, Lee," she simply stated, her voice sounding rather robotic.

And despite the dampness of the room he felt a gust of cool air sweep across the damp skin of his nape at his relief that she was alive. Maybe the shock of what she endured had taken part of her spunkiness away.

"Amanda, are you hurt? Any bones broken?" he worriedly asked as he simultaneously began feeling her arms and legs, not only to make sure her limbs were fine, but to make sure it was really her.

To Amanda, his touch felt like a soothing massage. She momentarily shut her eyes in pure bliss and when she opened them, she remarked, "That feels good, Lee; you touching me like that."

Lee stopped mid-rub, confused. It was such a strange comment for her to make, especially considering the situation they were in. That and the strange greeting made him think something was amiss.

"You ARE okay, aren't you?"

"Oh yes," Amanda assured him and then wrinkled her nose, "You know what, Lee? I like how _good_ you always smell, like a woodsy forest," she commented. And then with no embarrassment, she added, "And you're handsome, too."

Lee was taken aback at her words. But he had no time to ponder her words. Now that he knew she was physically alright, he needed to send a message to Francine through the window blinds that he was in and had found Amanda.

"Hold those wonderful thoughts you have of me for a sec," he told her, making a point with his index finger … "Uh...just to be perfectly clear, you _were_ sincere when you said those complimentary words about me, weren't you? You aren't going to follow them up with a bunch of punchlines, are you?"

Her expression didn't change, she only tilted her head, "No, why would I do that? I meant every word."

Lee felt himself blushing, "Uh, o _kay,_ thanks, I guess. I'll be right back."

"Alright," she nodded, "and I'll be watching your backside as you walk away."

Lee did a double take.

 _What had gotten into Amanda? Why was she flirting badly in the middle of this mess?_

Reaching the blinds, he adjusted the blinds halfway as a signal to let Francine know they were fine.

Then he checked his watch. They probably had roughly 50 minutes more before Hiltson would return. That would give Lee enough time to find out why Amanda was the worst flirt in the world. But first, he needed to continue on with the rescue.

He went back to Amanda, and knelt in front of her.

"Here, let me untie you," he suggested as he started with her ankles.

She momentarily closed her eyes in bliss, "Ooooh, your fingers moving like that feels _sooo_ good..."

Awkwardly enticed, yet perplexed, he untied her ankles faster, at breakneck speed.

With that completed, he pulled the extra chair over so he could sit in front of her. As he proceeded to untie her wrists, at one point, he glanced up at her and she was staring really hard at him, her eyes seeming to search his face. Her face was so near to his. His breathing instinctively became deeper as his body began to heat up.

No! _Must concentrate on mission_.

As he proceeded loosening the ties, his hands were actually shaking.

Interrupting his musings, she asked, "You know what, Lee?"

"I'm not sure I want to know, Amanda," he truthfully answered.

"I like when you're so near to me. I can clearly see your dimples, even when you look all worried like that."

A feather could have knocked him over at this point.

"Yeah, welllll, my dimples will soon be about as deep as the Grand Canyon with all my worries," he promised, " and I can't believe I'm saying this, Amanda, and I probably will never say it to anyone else in the world again, but...what's up with all the compliments?"

Her expression didn't change, her eyes still showing no light in them, "I'm being honest, is all. Why?"

"No reason," he casually stated back, "Just making sure you're not planning to hit me up with a loan later on."

He figured humor might help dispel the awkwardness of the situation, or he'd at least get a little smile out of her, but her mouth suddenly turned down into a frown and she began blinking as tears began to surface in her eyes.

 _What the..._

 _He made her cry with his humor?_

He looked concernedly at her, "Amanda, I know I'm no Johnny Carson, but that quip wasn't _that_ bad, was it? Look, if you want to compliment me, you go right ahead. I can take it, I promise!"

Instead, he watched in horror as one of the tears began falling down her cheek.

 _Oh boy._

His desperation made him speed up his talk, "Amanda, I actually _like_ compliments, I really do! Why just the other day, one of the typist from our steno pool was telling me that I had really nice hair! And I actually accepted the compliment! I did! And do you know what I said back? I proudly told her I grew it myself!"

He peered even closer at her face to see any glimmer of a smile.

Instead, she just stared at him with no expression on her face.

 _Tough crowd._

Then she began to shake her head, ""No, Lee, it's not about the compliments."

"Then why the tears?"

"I'm tired. And hungry. And scared. I'm a complete disaster."

She stated it in that same robotic tone, but Lee's insides still ached underneath his ribcage at what made this change in her.

"Of course. I understand," he gently stated, "and I'm truly sorry I involved you in this mission, but we are getting out of this and soon you'll be safe and sound, okay?"

"I want to go home, Lee."

"We will," he pledged. He couldn't help himself as he reached over and tenderly wiped that lone tear from her cheek with his hand.

To his astonishment, Amanda recoiled in pain.

"Ow!"

There it was again. Previously he joked; she cried. Now he gently touches her and she's in pain.

 _It reminded him of the time when he stuck some food in the microwave to heat it up and the plate came out piping hot while the food remained cold, almost frozen._

The opposite of what he expected.

He soon realized, however, what was causing her pain. When he took closer look at the area where he last touched her face, he noticed some discoloring on her left cheek.

He gently held onto her chin and turned her head slightly towards the light. That's when he realized that the mark wasn't discoloring on her cheek...it was a bruise.

Anger stabbed every inch of his skin at the thought that someone had touched Amanda in a violent manner.

 _Lester Hiltson was a dead man._

Then as his eyes traveled over her entire face and beyond, Lee's sharp eyes zoomed in at the small pin-pricked needle mark on the side of her neck.

He knew exactly what that was but wanted to verify it.

"Amanda, did that monster hit and drug you?"

No hesitation, no emotion.. "Yes."

"What hellish drug did he use on you?"

"Experimental truth serum."

Lee looked at her with disbelief, "Experimental truth serum?"

She nodded, "Yes. I can only tell the truth. Honest."

"Oh _really?_ "

A tempting thought entered Lee's mind. If she had this truth drug in her, maybe, just maybe...he could find out exactly how she felt about him. He didn't know why it mattered to him and why now, but he knew it would be his only chance.

But would that be considered sneaky; to ask a question like that when she's been drugged?

 _Oh wait. He's a spy. He's used to it._

"Amanda, how do you feel about me _personally?"_

Amanda blinked once.

Her body shook as if she was fighting internally with herself.

"Amanda?"

She stopped and stared at him.

Then leaning over, she vehemently stated, "From the first time I met you, Lee, I felt you were my adventure waiting to happen."

She then leaned back. Lee was speechless as his heart surged.

And it bothered him that he felt that way.

"What about you?" Amanda wondered, "Turnabout is fair play."

Lee wasn't expecting the question back. He had no idea what the answer was.

"Lee?"

She was waiting.

"Well...I..." Lee fumbled about and then his thoughts changed, "Actually, Amanda, right now it's best we work on getting you out of here, okay?"

 _"Typical man._ _ _Not expressing feelings.__ _"_ he heard Amanda mumble to herself in that same mechanical tone.

"Amanda..."

She looked indifferent, "What?"

He took a calming breath and then gave her his most sincere smile, "I'm glad we met. Truly I am."

For the first time, he actually saw her face light up, "You are?" then her expression fell, "But I'm just an ordinary housewife."

"...on the outside...but inside," he paused and then stated in awe, "you are a very _extraordinary_ woman. And believe me... you can handle any adventure that comes your way. Don't ever forget that."

It seemed as if the drug was wearing off as she finally smiled, "Thank you for that."

"So you ready to go home now?"

"I am."

She attempted to get up from the chair. Halfway up, she faltered; she would have collapsed if Lee hadn't caught her.

"Whoa, easy now," he stated, as carefully put her back in the chair. He tried not to sound worried "Are you feeling weak? Dizzy? Are you in pain?"

Amanda scrunched up her face.

"I want to say no, but I can't. And my legs feel like rubber."

"Let's try it again, but this time I'll help you," he volunteered.

Lee then put her arm around his shoulder in order to help hoist her up.

"See? That was easy," Lee stated with effort, "I've got you…"

" _I wish,_ " she mumbled.

His head turned her way, "What?"

Amanda knew she still had residuals from the truth drug, and couldn't help what she blurted out.

"Nothing." she quickly added.

As Lee continued to help her walk, she looked down at her shoes to watch her step and that's when she was able to get a good look at his shoes.

"You have... tassels on your shoes."

"I do."

I've always wondered about tassels...what purpose do they serve on shoes?"

If the situation wasn't so dire, Lee would enjoy this slightly out-of-it Amanda.

Lee smiled.

"...that's the question that eclipses every other question," Lee jested as he supported her, "but for now, concentrate on walking, Amanda. Put one leg forward and then the next one."

"I know. I've been doing it that way since I was a baby."

Even so, it was very slow moving.

"That's right, Amanda..." he encouraged, as she continued to lean on him, "keep moving your legs..."

"You're so strong." she complimented, "and courageous."  
His face remained stoic and encouraging, "That's right, Amanda. And my strength and bravery will be enough to get you out of here! Then afterwards, when we are safe, I am going to make sure we get some food into you. I'm sure THAT will perk your mood right up!"

She acknowledged, her eyes huge, "I bet it will, too. 'Food' should be considered an emotion, Lee."

He laughed.

Lee felt her body slightly wobble against his as she continued to struggle moving forward. He couldn't believe that his own eyes got a little misty at her helplessness.

Then things went downhill from there.

He happened to glance over at the door that led out to the hallway and what he saw had fear gripping his insides.

There looked to be a bomb sitting on top of the door.

 _ _Dammit!__ _He had been so intent on seeing to Amanda's needs that he had forgotten about the possibility of a bomb exploding in the room!_

"Amanda, Is that a bomb above the door?"

"Yes."

His jaw tightened as his tone turned slightly accusatory, "You knew? Why didn't you say anything?"

Oh, I don't know, Lee. Between being tied up, interrogated, slapped, drugged up, and then rescued by you, the whole bomb thing sorta slipped my mind."

Lee felt bad for blaming her, "Yeah, again, sorry you had to go through that. I need to see if I can disarm that bomb."

He then led her to lean against the table. Next he went quickly to the window and pulled down the blinds to warn Francine not to come inside.

"What is up with you and those blinds?" she wondered.

Lee smiled, "The sunshine was bothering me," he teased, "I have enough of it just standing next to you."

She looked warily at him, "Now who's been drugged?"

Smiling, he went and grabbed tone of empty chairs in the room, and placed it right next to the door. His expression became solemn again as he stood up on the chair in order to examine the explosive. He breathed easier when he could see that the explosive was not on a timer. That was good.

But the bad part was that it also meant it could be controlled by a remote control. He just hoped the range of the remote wasn't too wide. However, he had no way of knowing because he wasn't a bomb expert. And this was an unusual bomb, with all the wires sticking out of it the same color, making them indistinguishable from one another.

He could not take the chance of being wrong. One wrong yank and…

Amanda broke into his thoughts, "How many wires do you see?"

"Three."

"It's the blue wire," she told him with certainty.

He scowled, "What?"

"Pull out the blue wire. Always the blue wire." she sounded so sure.

"Is that the drugged-out Amanda speaking or the clear-headed one?"

"Does it matter?" she stated as she momentarily shut her eyes and stated the words like a mantra, " _Blue wire. blue wire._ " She then opened her eyes, "Blue wire, Lee."

Lee surmised it was a clear headed Amanda speaking. And he almost smiled to himself at the thought that it was hard to tell the difference which Amanda was which.

That may be, Amanda, " Lee told her, "But the problem is...they are ALL blue wires here," he defeatingly informed her.

 _"Third_ blue wire," Amanda firmly stated, "It's always the third one."

Lee scowled in bafflement, "The third one? Which one is the FIRST one?"

Amanda sounded certain but didn't elaborate, "Always the third blue wire."

.

 _What's taking so long?_ Francine wondered as she viewed the warehouse building through the binoculars.

Ten minutes earlier, after Lee had set the window blinds midway, she had just put down another one of Rutherford's warehouse guard and was sneaking her way towards the warehouse when she suddenly saw the blinds go down, meaning there was a bomb in the building.

And now she was back in the bushes.

 _She didn't like all this waiting—she wanted ACTION!_

 _VvvvRRRRRRR...RRRRRR…. RRRRRR…._

From behind her, she suddenly heard the sound of a vehicle' coming up from the road. Staying hidden, she whipped the binoculars towards that direction.

And through the binoculars, she captured Hilton's car heading _back_ this way.

 _"_ _ _That's not good,__ _"_ Francine mumbled to herself.

She glanced back at the building, now knowing there was a bomb in there. She was in a real dilemma.

Francine thought of overtaking Hiltson once he got out of the car, but Hiltson could have rigged a remote control bomb in the room where he held Amanda captive in. And any attack might trigger his finger to instinctively push the button and detonate the bomb.

And she couldn't take the chance with Lee and Amanda in there.

.

.

 _Please review_

.

.


	30. Chapter 30

The Rescue, part 3

.

Chapter 30

Not sure how to detonate a bomb, Lee figured the best thing he could do was get Amanda out of the warehouse as quickly as possible.

With quiet determination, he got off from the chair he had been standing on and strode over to Amanda, who had been left leaning on the table. Previously he had assisted in her walking, but that method was taking forever.

He'd have to devise a new plan.

He stood in front of her, looking at her thoroughly, up and down. Though she was tall, she was at least slim. She would be a breeze to carry out. _And,_ he hated to admit to himself, the thought of doing that seemed rather appealing. He felt himself getting warm as a smile peeked out.

Noticing he was looking at her with raw interest, she asked,"What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing. Uh, why?"

"Because you're looking at me like a hungry man looks at a steak!"

"I am not!" he vehemently denied and then clarified, "Okay, let me reword that... I _may_ have been looking at you, but it's actually more like how a butcher might look at a side of beef!"

She tilted her head, " _What?_ "

And as she eyed him quizzingly, he confidently walked over to the side of her, and before she could protest, he lifted her up into his arms with ease.

And she never felt such exhilaration and shock at the same time.

"Lee! Wha-"

He explained, "Your legs were wobbly and we need to get out of here...fast."

"Ohhhh..." Amanda reacted, looking about from her new viewpoint.

Lee liked showing off his brute strength, "What are you thinking? That you like being in my arms?" he asked with a smile.

"Actually, this reminded me that I need to take out the trash tonight."

Lee's face fell.

Meanwhile, Amanda was so close to Lee now, she had begun to openly stare at him in fascination, her eyes displaying a flare of heat. Lee found himself staring back at her, drowning in the intensity of her eyes. The tension between them intensified when Amanda's hand came up to gently graze his cheek.

Lee felt an electrifying force touching the side of his face as a warmth exploded in his belly. She was looking at him with such large and trusting eyes. An answering wave of desire rushed through him at the intimacy of the moment.

" _Amanda._.." he choked out her name.

She looked back at him with sweet candor _, "Lee, when you're this close to me... it makes my insides melt."_

Lee tried to convince himself it must be her truth serum talking again as he fought to settle his quaking stomach.

He swallowed hard as his heart began thumping, "Amanda, you're only saying those words because you're grateful for being rescued."

"Not true, Lee. Even if I had been rescued by a cow, I would feel this way."

 _So much for the heart thumping sensation._

"You're comparing me to a cow?" Lee pretended to be offended, "that's _udderly_ ridiculous!"

Amanda groaned and rolled her eyes, but it did help to ease off the heightened tension in the room. She then gave him one of her smiles that lit up a room, "...then I guess we better mooo-ve out of here!"

Holding onto her tightly, he grinned, "Yeah. Let's go."

Lee proceeded to walk towards the door of the connecting room. He had almost reached it when-

-the connecting door unexpectedly opened and Hiltson stood on the other side, pointing the gun at Lee, causing Lee now to start backing up as Hiltson moved forward.

"Stetson..." Hiltson smugly sneered as he cocked his gun, _"Going_ somewhere?"

It wasn't the implied evil threat in Hiltson's voice or the gun that scared Lee so much; it was that Hiltson's _other_ hand held what looked to be a detonation device.

Hiltson was now grinning smugly at Lee, daring him to try something.

But all Lee had on his mind was keeping Amanda safe, but he couldn't do it if his hands weren't free. He had no choice but to put Amanda down, although he protectively stood in front of her. She had to peek out from behind his back to view their adversary.

And even though Hiltson was sneering on the outside, he was seething on the inside.

 _He would not let Stetson and the woman get away this time, especially since things were all going his way again._

 _Hiltson figured that once he has taken care of Stetson and the King woman, he planned to pay the numbskull Senator and the idiot Rutherford a little visit. People always seem to underestimate him, not realizing he could easily be the brains of an operation_ _._

His finger edged closer to the detonation button, but first, he was about to have some fun with them.

"So you two, " Hiltson calmly asked, "would you say….the room's getting a little HOT today? Almost _explosive,_ in a way?"

Lee remained in a calm, assertive state for Amanda's sake. He held up his hands defensively.

"Listen, Hiltson, you're in enough trouble as it is," Lee reminded him and then tried to bargain, "you were lucky we didn't press charges against you for the kidnapping of Lucy, and we haven't arrested you for also kidnapping Mrs. King... _yet_. Right now, I'm only interested in taking her home. Let me do this. It'll also buy you a little more time of freedom before I hunt you down again."

Hiltson gave a chuckle.

"You forgot who has the upper hand, Stetson," Hiltson stated, clearly enjoying himself now. He held out his detonator in his hand, "You DO know what I'm showing you here, don't you?"

Amanda stared down at the device, "Looks like a cheap TV remote to me," she guessed.

"Don't pay attention to her," Lee tried to brush Amanda's unaware comment aside, not wanting to irritate Hiltson further, "thanks to you, she has become a human truth detector with no ability to filter her words."

From behind his back, Amanda looked slightly irritated at the rebuff, "I like to think my mind is now enlightened! I do not say things as they are, I say things as I am!"

Hiltson looked puzzled, "Is she trying to _zen_ me into pressing the detonator?"

Lee leaned back and mumbled to her at the side of his mouth, _"Amanda! Let me handle this!"_

 _"You're not succeeding so far!"_ she mumbled back.

Their jabs didn't escape Hiltson.

"Seems you two are fighting more between yourselves than with me!" he sneered, "But I'll be a good sport and give the two of you a little more time for the drug to leave Mrs. King's body!" he held out the detonator, "Let me introduce you to my most recent toy...this button right here sets off that little explosive up _there,"_ he gestured towards the explosives above the door. Once I push the button,. Ka-boom!"

"You won't get away with it, Hiltson!" Lee tested him, "I have agents surrounding this building, even as we speak!"

Hilton smugly smiled, "You mean Blondie out there? Forget about her. She missed one of my men and is now out of the picture."

 _Poor Francine,_ but Lee tried not to sound discouraged, "Then others will hunt you down," he promised, "You'll be on the run for the rest of your life."

Hiltson shrugged, "You call it being on the run, I call it exploring the world!"

Lee knew he had to keep Hiltson talking.

"Look, I'm willing to bargain with you, Hiltson," Lee proposed, "I am well aware that Senator Houston is the one who hired you. HE was the one who devised the kidnapping! In other words,you were probably just the hired help! If you will testify against him, I promise to talk to the DA. All I ask in exchange is that you let Mrs. King and me go."

Hiltson held up the detonator again for them to see, "You are in no position to bargain Stetson. Let ME tell you what is going to happen. I am going to walk out of here. You will do nothing but stay put for five minutes. If you try to leave, I will push the button. Once I am safe and well on my way, you will be free to go."

Lee considered it, if it meant Amanda was out of harm's way.

So he asked, "How can we trust you not to push the detonator button once you leave the premises?"

Hiltson tried to look transparent, "You have my word."

 _"I'm surprised his pants aren't on fire_ , BIG _time!_ " mumbled Amanda.

 _Meanwhile Hiltson was already thinking that as soon as he was safely out of range, he would set off the explosives, killing Stetson, the King woman, and any agents that came rushing in to save the two._

"Alright, then," Lee reluctantly relented, "Be the coward you are and get out of here. We'll stay put until you're gone."

"But, Lee..." Amanda protested.

Hiltson cut her off, "You've made a good decision, Stetson" he acknowledged, "So I will take off now. But before I do, I'll remind you that I have my finger resting on the detonator. If you try to play hero, Stetson, I will push the button. If an agent on the outside plans on taking me out with a sniper rifle, I may die instantly, but I will make sure I move my finger to press down. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Yes."

"Good, we are in agreement, then," sneered Hiltson. He started to turn.

"Oh, just one more thing before you go…" Lee casually stated.

Hiltson let out an aggravated sigh,"What now?"

He was surprised when a slow smile formed on Lee's lips, "You've messed up big time, Hiltson."

"Messed up? Me?" he growled, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's simple, really," Lee explained, "You have no leverage because I had already disconnected the explosives before you got here."

"What?" Hiltson huffed, "You're lying!"

"Not at all. It was a crude bomb, " Lee confidently explained, "and therefore, it was a very easy to disengage it."

"No, you did no such thing! Otherwise, you wouldn't have waited so long to tell me!" Hiltson insisted.

Lee grinned, "I've always loved the element of surprise," and then his grin became a full-out smile, "Surprise!"

"I don't believe you!" Hiltson stated, his face turned slightly red in disbelief, "You COULDN'T have disconnected the bomb so easily!"

Lee could see Hiltson's eyes darting over to the bomb over the doorway. Lee knew that Hiltson could see there was a chair next to the door, indicating that Lee could have stepped on the chair to reach the bomb.

Hiltson looked over at Amanda. She had the truth serum embedded in her; perhaps he could get the truth from her.

"You. Mrs. King," he glanced her way, "Is it true what Stetson said? Did he disengage the bomb?"

She told the absolute truth, "I don't like you and I trust Lee. If he says something, then it has to be!"

Lee gave her a side eye, "Welllll, I wouldn't go THAT far..."

"Go ahead," Amanda egged Hiltson, "Push the button!"

"WHAT?" Both men exclaimed in unison.

"The bomb has been disconnected, just like Lee stated," she announced with certainty, "he had pulled out the third blue wire!"

When she happened a glance at Lee, she was surprised to see him slightly shaking his head.

 _"Uh-oh,_ " Amanda mumbled.

"Ha! I KNEW it!" Hiltson exclaimed in a 'gotcha' moment, "You hadn't disconnected the bomb _at all!_ "

But Lee had one more bargaining chip.

From behind his back, he produced a gun.

"You're wrong, Hiltson. I HAD figure out how to disengage the bomb, the blue wire, notwithstanding. So go ahead. Do as she suggested, " encouraged Lee, "Push the button. And when nothing happens, I'll just shoot you where you stand."

Hiltson nervously looked from one to the other. Surely Stetson would not risk killing all three of them in an explosion, would he?

He was going to call Stetson's bluff.

"Alright," Hiltson gulped before getting his courage again, "I'll push the button."

Lee's response was to cock his gun.

Neither man blinked as Hiltson's finger hovered over the button while Lee's finger stayed on the trigger of his gun.

It was a stalemate of the worst kind.

.

.

 _Hang on-just two chapters to go!_

 _Please review._


	31. Chapter 31

Wrapping It Up

Chapter 31

 _Hiltson couldn't believe that the King woman and Stetson had encouraged him to push the button to detonate the bomb in the room. Maybe the side effect of the drug he had injected in her had turned her brain foolish whereas Stetson was just plain crazy._

Stetson's gun pointing at Hiltson was making him twice as nervous. Hiltson's finger hovered over the button of the detonator. _It didn't have to end this way_. Maybe he could convince the King woman to help diffuse the situation.

"You," he turned to Amanda, "Tell Stetson to put his gun away or I swear, I will detonate the bomb."

Amanda responded with, "My brain is giving me the silent treatment right now, so I am doing the same to you."

Grunting loudly, Hiltson then turned to Stetson, "You're bluffing, Stetson. You won't shoot me."

"Try me," Lee sneered, his gun hand steady and aimed right at Hiltson's heart, "it'll be my pleasure."

Hiltson's finger began shaking as he lightly touched the button, but didn't push down. He didn't know if being shot dead or blown to pieces was the worse way to go. Definitely neither. He licked his dry lips.

"If…" he warily proposed, "...and I do mean _if_ I surrender, you _will_ talk to the DA, right?"

A possible reprieve; Lee felt he could breathe again.

"You have my word," Lee promised, repeating the phrase Hiltson had used earlier.

Hiltson knew he had chosen the safest way out, "Deal," he stated as he reluctantly held out the detonator and his gun as Lee took possession of both.

You've made the right choice by choosing to save your own life, " Lee told him.

Lee then took a few steps forward until he stood inches from Hiltson.

 _POW!_

From nowhere, Lee landed a powerful punch to the side of Hiltson's face.

Hiltson's head snapped back from the blow. He slid to the floor.

Amanda tilted her head downward to view Hiltson, "Looks like the weather forecast today will be partly miserable with a 90% chance of rain!"

Lee chuckled, "Yeah, looks to be that for Hiltson!" Then he knelt down and whispered in the defeated man's ear, his breath pricking Hiltson's ear and neck, " _That was for Amanda!"_ Lee harshly mumbled.

Usually Amanda was against violence, but Hiltson deserved what he got.

Lee and Amanda's head turned at the sound coming from the connecting door. Francine suddenly burst into the room, followed by Billy and two other agents.

"Well, well... _wha_ t have we here?" Francine questioned, as she noted Hiltson sprawled out on the floor, "Looks to me like a another case of _the quickest way to a man's heart is Lee's fist_!"

Lee and Billy exchanged grinning looks.

"Sir, I saw everything," Amanda defended Lee, "it was self defense."

"Is that a fact?" Billy reacted with sarcastic disbelief.

"That's right, Billy," Lee confirmed, "Hilson attacked us first... _with his stupidity!_ "

"That's a good enough reason for an arrest!" Francine smirked, "Go ahead. He's all yours," she informed the other two agents who then hoisted Hiltson up, handcuffed him and led him out the door.

That left Billy, Francine, Lee and Amanda behind.

Billy looked concernedly at Amanda, "Mrs. King, are you alright?"

"I am, _now,_ Sir, thanks to Lee, " she stated, as she gazed gratefully towards Lee.

Lee's pulse kicked up a notch from the look she was giving him. Then he complimented her with, "The Agency should be thanking you, Amanda. You performed like a real agent!"

 _Like a real agent._ The pounding of her hear _t_ stopped right in the center of her chest at the ultimate compliment on this mission.

"Welllll, maybe not like a _real_ agent, Lee," she modestly stated.

"Then what would you call it?" he asked.

She bobbed her head sideways back and forth,"It was more like... I had acted... agent- _ish_."

Lee smiled fondly at her "I stand corrected, Amanda. You had acted agent _-ish_."

"-In case Fist-y Agent and Mrs. Agent-ish wants to know," Francine announced, "I've taken precautionary measures and the ambulance has been called. They should be here soon. I think Amanda should be checked out."

Amanda protested, "No, I'm fine, Francine! I-"

"-No protesting, Amanda," Lee interrupted, "You've been through a terrible ordeal," he turned towards Billy and Francine, "Apparently, Hiltson had shot Amanda up with some drug."

Billy's brows worriedly furrowed, "What type of drug?"

"Mr. Hiltson had mentioned some kind of experimental truth serum, Sir," Amanda explained.

"Truth serum, for _you?_ " Francine looked incredulous, "Isn't that what we would call goody-two-shoes _overload?_ "

Billy reminded her, "Remember, Francine, Amanda's been working for the government, so there's a chance that she wouldn't know the truth if it flew up in the air and poked her!"

"Amen to that!" concurred Francine.

Lee was still reeling with relief that Amanda came out alright at the end of it all. He didn't know what he would do if something bad happened to her.

"Amanda, do as Francine suggested," Lee told her, "let the professionals check you out. For my peace of mind, 'k?"

For the first time in a long time, Amanda's eyes sparkled, "I will."

As Lee reached out to assuredly rub her arm, Billy finally took note of what Lee held in his other hand.

"Scarecrow!" Billy exclaimed, "Is that a remote detonator I see in your hand?"

With all that happened, Lee had forgotten about it, "I'm afraid it is, Billy."

"What!?" Billy exclaimed, surprised at Lee's incompetence, "Why wasn't that the FIRST thing you said when we burst in?"

"Because I had already defused it," he calmly answered.

"You had?" Amanda looked shocked, "Lee, you were telling the truth? You actually knew how to disconnect the _bomb_?"

He proudly rocked on the balls of his feet, "Of course! I am, after all, a trained agent..."

"But when did you have time to defuse it?" Amanda asked

"When I had checked the bomb up above the doorway," Lee stated.

Amanda looked at him with renewed reverence, but not Francine.

"I know you're a good spy, Lee, or so you keep telling me," Francine remarked, "but you're no bomb expert and you just can't cut wires randomly! How did you know how to disable it?"

Lee explained, "We had taken that Explosives and Ordinance class together last year, remember? I used the knowledge from chapter 5 to figure out that since it's unlikely I could disable every circuit of the bomb simultaneously, all I did was remove the blasting caps from the explosives without compromising the electronics." he looked questionably at Francine, "Are you telling me you didn't recall chapter 5 of oure textbook?"

Francine tilted her head in thought, "Chapter 5? I'm sure I had read it...but...heyyyy wait a minute...chapter five..." Francine narrowed her eyes, "I was sick that one day and I distinctly remembered you telling me that the class was assigned to SKIP chapter 5!"

"Did I?" Lee innocently asked, as he snuck in a quick wink to Amanda.

Amanda returned his wink with a smile.

Francine folded her arms, "No WONDER I scored lower than you on the final exam!"

"...that _and_ I went on three dates with the instructor," Lee added.

Francine dropped her mouth and unfolded her arms, "You did WHAT?"

But Lee's laugh told everyone he was only joking.

Billy then concluded, "The important thing is that at the end of it all, we are all safe! While Francine and I tie up loose ends, Lee, why don't you have Amanda checked out and then drive her home?"

And with perfect timing, they could now hear the sirens of the ambulance vehicle in the far distance.

"It'll be my pleasure," Lee stated, giving her a smile that made her melt. He gallantly held out a bent arm, "Shall we?"

"That would be nice, Lee. Thank you." Happily Amanda held onto Lee's arm for comfort, "Home sweet home! Never did it sound so wonderful!"

As the four left the building, they had only been out of the building for a couple of minutes when...

KA BOOM!

The entire warehouse had suddenly burst into flames. Smoke and fire billowed out from the top as the four of them felt the heat of fire. Getting away until they were a safe distance away,

Billy, Francine and Amanda turned from the engulfed warehouse to stare accusingly at Lee.

"You said you had disarmed the bomb!" Francine faulted him.

Lee knew he had purposely left out the part that he had only skimmed chapter 5.

His response was a shrug, followed by an "Oops!"

.

.

Newspapers and television reporters form all over the globe were there to cover the arrest of Senator Robert Sanderson and shipping magnate Hunter Rutherford on drug charges. There was enough incriminating evidence and witnesses to find the senator and millionaire guilty without one testifying against the other, although each was willing to do so to save his own skin.

And although Lee had informed Lester Hiltson that _perhaps_ the DA would go easy on him, it turned out that Lee was no attorney and he had no authority to promise Hiltson anything.

Too bad, so sad.

And in a separate story of weird coincidences, it was also reported on the news that one of Rutherford's warehouses mysteriously blew up minutes after the arrest of Hiltson. Arson was suspected, but due to lack of evidence, no further investigation would be forthcoming.

Days later at a press conference played over all the news airwaves, the Chief of Police stood behind the podium, thanking everyone who worked on the case. He concluded that the arrests and subsequent charges and convictions were successful due to a 'team effort' of the police along with the cooperation of the DA's office.

.

Back at Maplewood Drive, Amanda turned off the TV, satisfaction plastered on his face. In all the self congratulatory accolades the Chief of Police had made, there was no mention of The Agency or her in connection to the case, which suited her fine.

Going into the kitchen, she headed straight for the refrigerator to pour herself a glass of orange juice.

After everything that had happened the last few days, it seemed strange to return to routine of life, she thought as she poured her drink and shut the refrigerator door.

She had not seen or spoken to Lee in three days. Not that she expected to. After all, she didn't work for the Agency, hadn't had any training and wasn't a even a partner, as Lee frequently reminded her. She was merely a civilian who had stumbled across an adventure...

...and not just _any_ adventure.. _.a wonderful, thrilling spy adventure alongside a handsome, charming government agent!_

And now her life was back to normal. A good thing, yet.. _._

 _Would she ever see Lee again?_ she wondered with a wistful sigh. Yet judging from their conversation on way back home, he sure seemed excited to be getting back to his old life and working alone again.

 _RING!RING!_

The ringing of the phone on the wall interrupted her thoughts. Putting her glass of juice down, she yelled out, "I'LL GET IT, MOTHER!"

Dotty responded from upstairs, "Alright, Dear!"

Amanda went and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. King? This is Billy Melrose."

Amanda mentally jumped with joy at the unexpected caller. Although it was not Lee, it was second best! She hadn't expected a call from The Agency, so Amanda bubbled with excitement, "Hello, Sir! So good to hear from you!"

Billy smiled into the phone, "It's wonderful to hear your voice, too, Mrs. King."

She approached the call tentatively, "Is... there a particular reason you called?"

"Indeed there is, Mrs. King! First, I'd first like to thank you again for helping us bring down an entire drug operation. You were one of the bravest civilians I have ever encountered!"

Amanda blushed, "It was an honor to serve my country, Sir."

"Good, good," Billy acknowledged and then added,"And the second reason I called, Mrs. King, is...how would you feel about working here?"

At first Amanda thought she heard wrong, "By _here_ , do you mean, The Agency, Sir?"

"I do," Billy stated, "of course, it would be in the capacity of a clerical job, but with your talents, we'll see where that leads. How does that sound?"

Amanda could not believe her good fortune.

 _And she might even see Lee again! But would he want to see HER? So many thoughts were running through her mind at the same time._

 _"_ Mrs. King?" Billy brought her back to the present, "Are you still there? You haven't given me an answer yet."

"What? Oh, sorry, of course I'm here! May I ask you a question?"

"Fire away!"

"How would Lee feel about it?"

"Feel about what?"

"About me...going to work over there...You know, I assume that I would probably bump into him in the parking lot, or hallway or even the break room, every now and then.."

"I don't doubt that you may catch a glimpse of him... occasionally, being that you two will be working in the same building, but I'm sure that'll be fine with Lee. He's a professional," Billy commented, a big grin on his face. He had already expected to put Amanda's desk next to Lee's, "Why do you ask? Is this a contingency for us hiring you?"

"No! Of course not, Sir! I gratefully accept your offer! I can start this Thursday! I'm sorry I can't start tomorrow because I volunteer at the library on Wednesday, but maybe I can-"

"-No need for further explanations about your start date, Mrs. King," Billy assured her with a chuckle, "You won't be starting here immediately, anyway. The process for you to be hired will take some time. Because of the nature of this job, we have to do an extensive background check. I'm sure you can see why."

"Oh yes, Sir! Take as long as you need!"

Billy couldn't help smiling again. Amanda King will be like a breath of fresh air.

"Thank you, Mrs. King. I'll be sending a courier over to you with your employment packet."

"I'll look forward to receiving it...and again, thank you, Sir!"

"Welcome to the Agency, Mrs. King!"

After saying their goodbyes, Billy hung up.

Then because Billy Melrose was always about moving operations along, he next picked up the phone receiver again to call the courier because he wanted the employment papers in Amanda King's hands by tomorrow.

 _RING!RING!_

He could hear another phone ringing outside his office and the courier immediately picking up.

"Stetson here."

"Scarecrow," Billy grinned into the phone, "I need to see you immediately in my office; there's an assignment that only you can complete for me..."

.

 _Last chapter coming up!_


	32. Chapter 32

The Speediest Caper Ever

.

Chapter 32

It was Wednesday again, and Amanda was doing her usual volunteer work at the library.

Right now she was absentmindedly pushing the book cart down the long aisle of books, stopping every now and then to place another book in its correct location.

 _Her mind, however, was not on the books. Amanda was mentally running through her to-do list for today: groceries, cleaners, Tigers practice game, homework, and dinner._

She shook herself to concentrate again on her work. Now wheeling the book cart over to the travel section, she picked up the next book to be shelved and glanced at its title, 'A Guidebook to the World of Europe'.

Europe. Her heart filled with longing. Oh, to travel to exotic paces,to experience new cuisines...and perhaps to even be opened for a whirlwind romance!

And with that thought lingering, the image of Lee sitting in a European cafe suddenly popped into her head.

No, oh, _NO._..

She shook her head to wipe THAT image from her mind!

Definitely NOT Lee. She already knew the type of man he was: all charm and no future. So what if he was the only man who could make her heart thump wildly. Temporary heart-thumping never brought long term happiness!

Sighing, she returned to work mode and shelved another book. As she peered down the vast aisle of books, she noted one lone book slightly sticking out among the shelves. Someone obviously hadn't shoved the book all the way back in. Wheeling the cart along to that particular spot, Amanda glanced at the title on the spine of the protruding book.

 _Island of the Blue Dolphins_ definitely _did NOT belong in the travel section_ , Amanda thought, but she could understand how a mistake like this could occur _._

She removed the misplaced book, intent on returning it to its rightful shelf.

Through the newly created gap, a familiar voice suddenly piped in,"Hi!"

"Oh!" Amanda jumped back, shocked.

Then realizing she recognized that voice, she quickly pushed aside more books to get a better view of the other side.

Lee!

It seemed like forever since she had seen him and her heart did a happy flip-flop.

"Hi, back!" she cheerfully responded back in her usual perky way.

He jestingly raised his index finger raised to his lips as he whispered, " _Ssshhh! We're in a library!"_

She feigned aggravation as she pointedly whispered back, " _Then get over here before we BOTH get thrown out!"_

He grinned from ear to ear, _"I'll be right over!"_

Lee was over in no time. Amanda's heart soared at his presence, "So, Lee, what are you doing here?"

His eyes danced with mischievousness, "Do I need a reason? Maybe I just _happened_ to be in the neighborhood..."

She eyed him cynically, "I _doubt_ suburbia Arlington was ever _your_ 'neighborhood'."

He chuckled softly, thinking how much he missed their bantering, "You're right about that, Amanda...I actually came over to give you this..." he stated as he handed her the thick employment packet.

"Ohhhhh!" Amanda exclaimed, gleefully accepting the packet and clasping it to her chest, "Thank you, Lee! You know, I still can't believe I'll be working..." she covertly looked both ways, "...for, _you know, the big "A"_..."

Her solemn sincerity was endearing and Lee realized that he had not only missed their bantering...he had missed HER.

But he would not let her know that; he was here on business. At least that's what he kept trying to convince himself a dozen times over before he had arrived.

He cleared his throat and got down to business, "Yeah, so, anyway...after you fill this all out, you can turn these papers over to the front desk and they'll take care of the rest," he stated, letting her know he was out of the loop, "and remember, your duties will basically consist of clerical work..." and he couldn't help joking in a quiet, secretive whisper, "... _at the big 'A.,_ "

She quirked a brow, "So I'll be basically doing clerical work, unlike YOUR duties, which evidently consists of delivering packets to trainees?"

 _Touche, Amanda._

"'Agent courier' is the correct title I'd like to go by," he playfully stated, "and if you must know, Amanda, I AM working on a major new assignment, even as we speak. It's regarding capturing an elusive bank robber!"

"Oh! Is he the one that's been all over the news yesterday?" Amanda's eyes shone with excitement, "I heard the guy successfully robbed The Arlington Bank and is currently on the run and that he could be possibly linked to three other bank robberies as well! Is that the assignment you're working on?"

"The very one!" Lee enthused, "The FBI is stumped as to the man's identity and that why they've decided to bring in the BIG gun!"

He proudly drew himself up taller.

Amanda looked wide-eyed, "The FBI is bringing in a _bazooka?_ "

Lee was confused, "What?! No! Not bazooka!...ME! I'M the big gun!"

Amanda's smile lit up the room, "I knew that."

"You...knew that.." Lee slowly stated and then gave a delayed laugh.

They were having a grand time until a stranger approached them.

"Miss," he addressed Amanda, "You work here?"

Lee and Amanda turned to see a man in his 40's standing before them. He was obviously a house painter, for he wore the typical painter's white loose overalls over his street clothes and a painters cap. There were random paint splatters on him and his clothes. He was probably on a lunch break, which was why he seemed so rushed. And brusque.

"Yes, I work here," Amanda cheerfully confirmed, "How may I help you?"

The house painter got right to the point, "I'm looking for travel books on Russia."

"You're in the right section, but wrong aisle," Amanda stated as she began to explain how he could find the books by looking at the numbers on the spine.

She hadn't even finished when without even a nod or thanks, the rude painter brushed past them in order to proceed down the next aisle.

 _"And here I thought only agents didn't have manners,_ " Lee grumbled out loud, but when he looked at Amanda, she wasn't even listening.

A scowl was plastered on her face the entire time she watched the painter sauntering away until he had disappeared from sight.

"Amanda?" Lee called her back to his attention, confused by her strange behavior.

She slowly turned her head back to him, but her eyes still looked distracted, "Hmmm...what?"

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Looking covertly in both directions, she next leaned in so close that he caught that fresh whiff of vanilla and gardenias he had learned to associate with being near her.

 _"That's him!"_ Amanda insistently whispered.

Lee furrowed his brow, " _That's him? Him who?"_

She pointed over to the next aisle, " _Him! The painter! He's the bank robber!"_

"What!" Lee exclaimed as he shot his head towards that way.

" _Sshhhh! He'll hear you!_ " she shushed him and then repeated in a desperate tone, _"He's him..the bank robber!"_

Lee looked incredulous, _"The painter's the bank robber? Amanda, are you sure?"_

Her face showed complete sincerity, "My reasoning skills tell me I'm sure, so, yes, Lee, I'm sure."

 _If there was one thing Lee knew when dealing with Amanda, was to trust her intuition._

He was convinced, "Okay. That's good enough for me. Stay here."

Lee quietly snuck around to the other side of the aisle. From where she stood, Amanda could hear low voices which soon turned into confrontational masculine tones. She began to make a move towards the next aisle.

She momentairly paused when she heard a body being slammed against the books from the other side as several other books could be heard falling to the ground.. Then peeking around the aisle, she saw the painter make a wild dash for the exit door, followed by Lee in hot pursuit...

Amanda immediately took off after them.

 _Because no way would she stay put..._

 _._

.

The next day, Amanda wore her 'guest' badge as she sat in Billy's office with Lee.

The painter Lee eventually captured had indeed been the sought-after bank robber the FBI had been pursuing. Lee had been able to tackle him outside the library yesterday and then eventually brought him to the proper authorities.

Billy addressed Amanda," Mrs. King, Lee here told me that you were the one who identified the painter correctly as the bank robber."

"Oh, it was really nothing, Sir," Amanda stated, "I just used common sense. That was pretty easy to do. The hard part was tackling and arresting him!"

"That was more like the fun part," Lee stated and then he turned serious, "But I still can't figure out, Amanda, how you knew he was a bank robber! Did you have a clue after the painter asked about a travel book on Russia, knowing that that country has no extradition treaty with the US?"

Amanda tilte her head, "I didn't know that and probably won't ever need to know that in the future."

Billy asked, "Then how in the world, Mrs. King, did you suspect the painter was the bank robber?"

Amanda stated with certainty, "I first suspected when I noticed the red marks surrounding his face, Sir."

Lee asked, "You mean the red _paint_ flecks? Wouldn't that be typical for a painter?"

"But it wasn't really red paint flecks, Lee, although it DID seem that way at first..." Amanda explained, "I should know because I've painted my front door red before, and what was on HIS face was definitely not flecks of red paint!"

Billy asked, "So if they weren't paint flecks, what were they?"

"I'd describe them more as smeary dots, Sir."

"Smeary dots on the face, "Billy contemplated and got nothing, "And how were you able to connect smeary dots to a bank robber, Mrs. King?"

"It's very logical, Sir," Amanda reasoned "You see, when the painter walked past me, he was close enough for me to see that it wasn't paint flecks, but smeary dots on his face. Smeary dots on a painter didn't seem right and its location on his face was even _more_ strange. The smeary dots weren't all _over_ his face, but it was more like they _surrounded_ his face..." Amanda then held up her index finger to make her point, "I figured, Sir, that if the smeary dots were _surrounding_ his face, he must have been wearing something ON his face to protect it against those smeary dots getting all _over_ his face."

Lee inserted, "You mean... like he possibly wore a mask?"

"Exactly!" Amanda acknowledged, looking pleased,, "Now, I've seen lots of bank robberies on tv shows and movies, so I know that banks sometime booby-trap the stolen money with a red dye pack that would explode in the robber's face, so, I asked myself, _What if the painter was a bank robber who had a mask on when the red dye had hit him in the face?_ _Wouldn't the red dye then splatter all around his face and make smeary dots after he removed his mask?_ Yes, I know that's a long thought process, but there you have it, and _that's_ when I first suspected he wasn't a painter, but a bank robber!"

She took another breath after all that rambling.

Billy remarked, "That's an intriguing theory, but is that it? You do realize, Mrs. King, that had you been wrong with your one _slight_ observation, the government would have a major lawsuit on our hands since one of our agents unceremoniously tackled a civilian in broad daylight!"

"I know that, Sir...well, I actually _didn't_ know _that,_ Sir _._.. but it wasn't only the smeary dots on his face that gave away that he was a robber," she reasoned, as she turned to Lee, "Lee, did you notice that his entire face seemed a bit red?"

"Not unusual," Lee shrugged, "A lot of fair-skinned people's skin turn red when they're outdoors a lot. I didn't find that unusual for someone like a painter, who's in the sun a lot."

"But, Lee, when the painter had passed you in the aisle, did you also get the strong smell of turpentine coming from him?"

"I did," Lee shrugged, "but turpentine is used to clean paintbrushes all the time. Why is that so unusual for a painter?"

"The robber's red face and the smell of turpentine was when I knew for SURE he was the bank robber!" Amanda declared.

Billy looked completely baffled, "Unless his red face yelled out, _'I'm a bank robber!'_ , I don't get it."

Lee also looked baffled, when suddenly...

"Yeah, yeah... I get it now!" he now looked excited, "Of course! The turpentine was used as a cleaning solution for the painter's skin! His skin had been red, not from being outdoors, but from the irritation caused by the turpentine and the abrasive rubbing he must have done in an attempt to get the dye off!"

Amanda smiled approvingly, "It's a good thing I had previously painted my door red, isn't it?"

Lee looked proudly at her, but he was also secretly proud he figured out the red face/turpentine part.

Billy could only stare at the two of them and shake his head in wonderment, "Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable!"

He then looked at Amanda, "By the way, Mrs. King, could you stay and chat for a sec? I need to talk to you further about your employment here."

"Of course, Sir!"

.

.

Lee had waited for her since her meeting with had been rather short. He told her he would walk her to her car and she happily agreed.

As they walked out of the building, Lee stated, "So what did Billy want to talk to you about?"

Amanda seemed almost blase, "Nothing much. Just about my next assignment."

"You mean your clerical duties?"

"There was no need to discuss THAT."

She had an extra bounce in her step.

Lee looked confused, "Then what?" He thought about it, "Wait. Whoooa. Amanda, are you implying..."

"No, I'm not implying anything, Lee," she innocently stated.

"Now, hold on right there, Amanda. I just to make this point clear again," Lee was telling her as they walked in tandem, "because you will be working at the Agency, Amanda, it doesn't mean you'll be working with _me._ I do NOT work with a partner..."

"Still on that ride, are you, Lee?" Amanda commented, "I got off that ride a long time ago. I get it. You work alone. You don't have a partner. I'm not your partner."

They had reached the car.

Although Lee swore never to work with another partner, he liked the idea of seeing Amanda every now and then at the Agency. _She was after all, an attractive female, and he was...who he was..._

"While it's true I don't have a partner," he told her, giving her his most charming smile, "there ARE times I do help out with trainees..."

"Really? You do that sort of thing?"

"I do, but since I'm so busy during the day catching the bad guy, I might have to explain the finer points of being an Agency employee...over dinner. What do you think?"

His delivery was as smooth as silk.

 _All charm and no future,_ she reminded herself.

"No."

His expression fell, "No?"

"No," she repeated herself, "I think we can discuss all these finer points in the daytime, during _lunch._ "

He forced himself not to grin, "Are you saying, Mrs. King, that you don't trust me?"

She looked into his dreamy face, and almost caved in.

"I'm saying we're not THAT kind of a partnership!"

Lee enjoyed that Amanda would always challenge him.

He flashed her his most innocent smile, "I assure you I don't know what you mean, Amanda."

He opened the car door for her and after she got in, he closed the car door and spoke to her through the opened window.

"Daytime lunch will definitely work out," he reasoned, "After all, I might need the nighttime to catch the bad guys."

"Oh, your next mission won't be done at night; not with the type of people you'll be dealing with..." she absentmindedly stated, as she started the engine of her car, "Activities in the suburbs usually occur in the daytime!"

Lee looked surprised, "What? What did Billy tell you?"

"-It's on a need-to-know basis, remember?' she reminded him, "Good-bye, Lee!" she waved, "See you tomorrow at lunch...and before that, too!"

Lee now started to panic, "Before that? What do you m-"

But she had begun to shift gears, so he had no choice but to step aside as she maneuvered her car from its parking spot. As he watched her drive away, he cupped his hands like a bullhorn to shout out one last reminder.

"I DON'T WORK WITH A PARTNER!" he yelled into the wind.

And even though he wasn't sure if Amanda had heard him or not, he still smiled to himself.

 _Because he knew his life would never be the same again._

 _._

 _._

 _Please review for the last time!_


End file.
